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.
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.
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.
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...
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 |
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 |







