The Open prize money 2026: How much they're playing for at Royal Birkdale

The Open prize money 2026: Tournament organisers have announced how much cash is up for grabs at the final men's major of the year.

Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler

Tournament organisers of The Open have confirmed the payout information for the 2026 edition of the major. 

The R&A said the total purse on offer at Royal Birkdale will be $17.75m, up $750,000 from last year at Royal Portrush. 

It means the Claret Jug winner will walk away with $3,200,000 - $100,000 more than Scottie Scheffler banked at the Dunluce Links. 

Whilst there is more money on offer than ever before at The Open, the purse still remains some way short of the other men's majors.

Scottie Scheffler returns the Claret Jug ahead of the 154th Open
Scottie Scheffler returns the Claret Jug ahead of the 154th Open

The Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open all offered purses in excess of $20m in 2026, with Rory McIlroy collecting the largest cheque for $4.5m after defending his green jacket. 

Elsewhere, there is a financial incentive for players that don't make the 36-hole cut at Royal Birkdale.

The top-10 professionals and ties will bank $12,900. 

Rory McIlroy is among the favourites to win The Open
Rory McIlroy is among the favourites to win The Open

The next 20 professionals and ties will scoop $10,750 and the remainder will earn $9,100 each. 

GolfMagic has listed the payout information below. 

And don't forget to check back in to see how much they all won. 

Scroll down...

The Open prize money 2026

Place

Payout

1

$3,200,000

2

$1,842,000

3

$1,181,000

4

$917,000

5

$738,000

6

$639,700

7

$549,700

8

$463,250

9

$406,200

10

$367,000

11

$334,200

12

$296,000

13

$278,500

14

$260,700

15

$241,900

16

$222,700

17

$212,000

18

$202,000

19

$193,600

20

$184,500

21

$175,900

22

$167,100

23

$158,100

24

$149,300

25

$144,250

26

$138,000

27

$133,000

28

$128,400

29

$122,800

30

$116,500

31

$112,700

32

$106,900

33

$103,100

34

$100,200

35

$96,700

36

$92,900

37

$88,500

38

$84,100

39

$81,000

40

$78,400

41

$75,200

42

$71,500

43

$68,300

44

$64,400

45

$60,700

46

$57,600

47

$55,300

48

$53,100

49

$50,700

50

$49,400

51

$48,350

52

$47,500

53

$46,800

54

$46,100

55

$45,300

56

$44,700

57

$44,250

58

$43,950

59

$43,625

60

$43,325

61

$43,100

62

$42,900

63

$42,700

64

$42,500

65

$42,150

66

$41,825

67

$41,500

68

$41,200

69

$40,900

70

$40,700

The Open prize money: Through the years

Year

Winner

Payout 

2025

Scottie Scheffler

$3,100,000

2024

Xander Schauffele

$3,100,000

2023

Brian Harman

$3,000,000

2022

Cameron Smith

$2,500,000

2021

Collin Morikawa

$2,070,000

2020

Cancelled (COVID-19)

2019

Shane Lowry

$1,935,000

2018

Francesco Molinari

$1,890,000

2017

Jordan Spieth

$1,845,000

2016

Henrik Stenson

$1,175,000

2015

Zach Johnson

$1,150,000

2014

Rory McIlroy

$975,000

2013

Phil Mickelson

$1,470,000

2012

Ernie Els

$1,330,000

2011

Darren Clarke

$1,460,000

2010

Louis Oosthuizen

$1,310,000

2009

Stewart Cink

$1,230,000

2008

Pádraig Harrington

$1,400,000

2007

Pádraig Harrington

$1,440,000

2006

Tiger Woods

$1,320,000

2005

Tiger Woods

$1,300,000

2004

Todd Hamilton

$1,350,000

2003

Ben Curtis

$1,080,000

2002

Ernie Els

$970,000

2001

David Duval

$870,000

2000

Tiger Woods

$750,000

1999

Paul Lawrie

$480,000

1998

Mark O’Meara

$280,000

1997

Justin Leonard

$280,000

1996

Tom Lehman

$230,000

1995

John Daly

$200,000

1994

Nick Price

$190,000

1993

Greg Norman

$150,000

1992

Nick Faldo

$170,000

1991

Ian Baker-Finch

$160,000

1990

Nick Faldo

$160,000

1989

Mark Calcavecchia

$130,000

1988

Seve Ballesteros

$140,000

1987

Nick Faldo

$130,000

1986

Greg Norman

$100,000

1985

Sandy Lyle

$90,000

1984

Seve Ballesteros

$70,000

1983

Tom Watson

$60,000

1982

Tom Watson

$45,000

1981

Bill Rogers

$60,000

1980

Tom Watson

$45,000

1979

Seve Ballesteros

$35,000

1978

Jack Nicklaus

$23,000

1977

Tom Watson

$17,000

1976

Johnny Miller

$14,000