LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Open has increased its prize money to $20 million, now surpassing other major championships and aligning with the PGA Tour’s premier events.
This represents a $2.5 million rise from last year and doubles the amount from 2016 when Dustin Johnson triumphed at Oakmont.
The winner at Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday will receive $3.6 million, up from the $3.15 million awarded to Matt Fitzpatrick last year at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Prize money has become a significant focus in recent years, even before the arrival of Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which offers $25 million purses ($20 million for the 54-hole individual competitions). In response, the PGA Tour introduced $20 million purses for 10 tournaments, with The Players Championship offering $25 million.
This year, The Masters increased its purse to $18 million, while the PGA Championship raised its prize money to $17.5 million.
The British Open is yet to announce its prize money, which stood at $14 million last year.
Mike Whan, the CEO of the USGA, stated, “We want this event to have a significant presence. We need to strike a balance in terms of the event’s scale, the broadcasting strategy, and the number of spectators allowed on the golf course. The prize purse is a part of that equation.”
Whan explained that the USGA decided in November that $20 million was the appropriate figure.
He also acknowledged that the USGA has other initiatives, including its 14 other championships (such as the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Amateur), as well as sustainability studies.
Furthermore, he stated that the USGA did not intend to engage in a monetary competition with the PGA Tour, which operates a full year-round schedule with local organizations running various tournaments, each with different sponsors.
“We understand that purses can be relative, and to be significant, we must be aware of what’s happening in the wider world, and we are,” he said. “We’re not striving to offer the biggest paycheck, but we want to ensure that the money and opportunities available here, whether for tour players, college players, or amateurs, contribute to the grandeur of the event, and we believe they do.”