Masters payout hits record US$18 million, with $3.24 million to winner
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Brooks Koepka watches his shot from along the seventh fairway in the third round of the Masters Tournament on April 7.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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AUGUSTA – The Masters was to pay the winner a record US$3.24 million (S$4.32 million) from a highest-ever US$18 million prize money purse, Augusta National announced on Saturday.
But even if leader Brooks Koepka captured the green jacket on Sunday, he still will not take home as much money as the US$4 million he earned by winning last week’s 54-hole LIV Golf event in Orlando.
That is the crazy state of the sport at the first Masters since Saudi-backed LIV Golf launched last June,
Augusta’s prize money payout – which offers US$1.94 million for second place and US$1.22 million for third – broke the 2022 overall purse of US$15 million, from which top-ranked Scottie Scheffler took a record US$2.7 million winner’s prize.
Historic by Masters standards, the US$18 million total pales against the US$25 million LIV purses, which include US$20 million for individual competition and US$5 million for the team event.
Prize money amounts for the year’s other three Majors are not out yet but, in 2022, the US Open paid out US$17.5 million followed by the PGA Championship (US$15 million) and the British Open (US$14 million).
The US$760,000 prize money difference from Orlando, should Koepka win at Augusta, might be more than made up for by the capturing of a fifth career Major title – which would leave him only a British Open Claret Jug from completing a career Grand Slam.
“The whole goal is to win the Grand Slam,” the 32-year-old said on Friday.
“I feel like all the greats have won here and they have all won British Opens as well. I guess it’s one more box for me to tick to truly feel like I’ve done what I should have accomplished in this game.”
Then again, it can be just about showing the money. American Harold Varner made the profit motive clear when asked about the biggest benefit of his jump to LIV.
“It’s the amount of money. It’s generational. The way I grew up, it’s important to me to take care of my family, and you can do it by just signing on the dotted line... I’d do it again,” he said.
Against the LIV challenge, the PGA Tour has banned rebel players from its events, and their legal battle is set to reach a courtroom in early 2024. The PGA has also made changes to its schedule to create “enhanced events” with larger purses and fewer players.
The Majors have allowed LIV players to qualify, making them the showdown venues for the PGA-LIV rivalry.
From 18 LIV players who qualified for the Masters, 12 advanced to the last two rounds, two withdrew and four missed the cut, including Major winners Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson and Bryson DeChambeau.
Behind Koepka, who carded a one-over 73 for an 11-under 205 and a two-shot lead on Sunday morning, American Patrick Reed and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann were among the next best LIV players. Reed shot an even-par 72 to finish on 213 overall while Niemann (74) was one shot back.
LIV’s big name Phil Mickelson, a six-time Major winner and three-time Masters champion, ended the third round with a three-over 75 to finish on 215. AFP
