The Biggest Prize Money Payout in PGA Tour History

The Tour Championship is an end-of-season tournament offering an astounding prize pool; this year alone, the winner’s share is $18 Million!

At East Lake, the top 30 golfers begin with an initial stroke count attached to their names based on their FedEx Cup standing. Scottie Scheffler started at -10 strokes.

Total purse

This year’s 2022-23 PGA Tour season offers an unprecedented prize pool. Totaling more than $500 million and featuring 47 official events on its calendar, the Tour Championship boasts an astounding $18 million purse. However, this event doesn’t count towards overall earnings since it serves as a FedEx Cup playoffs finale rather than a regular-season tournament.

Still, winning this tournament means reaping huge rewards: first place will net a staggering prize pool of $18 Million, with runners-up taking home $6.5 Million, all the way down to 30th place receiving half-million dollar payouts!

As with other PGA Tour events, if players tie for positions, they receive equal prize money division. The top 30 finishers’ funds are then distributed similarly to how they are distributed among the top 15 FedEx Cup standings places. Furthermore, this tour championship grants automatic exemptions into full-field events, including THE PLAYERS Championship.

East Lake will welcome an impressive field this weekend, featuring major winners Tommy Fleetwood and Rickie Fowler at three under par for this week. Open champion Brian Harman, Xander Schauffele, and US Open winner Wyndham Clark also begin six off the pace.

The total prize pool for the Tour Championship stands at $75 million, with a first-place prize worth $18 million and runners-up receiving $6.5 million, respectively. Any leftover money is distributed based on how well players perform in playoffs.

Since 2013, the total purse for the Tour Championship has seen its real purse increase by over 50%. Alongside this additional money, the PGA Tour also raised prize money at non-designated events and increased payouts at both of its majors – all part of their attempt to draw players back into the tournament. Should more players return in future years, more money may be added if needed to accommodate larger fields.

Winner’s share

The winner of the Tour Championship can expect to take home an estimated prize money payout of $18 Million, which represents the largest prize pool payout at any PGA tournament during 2014. But this prize money payout represents just a portion of this event’s $75 Million purse and bonus pool; runners-up will each get $6.5 Million as their share. In terms of smaller paychecks for players in subsequent spots up until 30th place each golfer receives one-half Million Dollars as a prize money payout.

A player’s earnings depend on both their finish position in a tournament and FedEx Cup standing. Players finishing in the top 10 will take home seven-figure paydays, while those completing five will collect over $3 Million in bonus earnings in addition to the standard PGA Tour distribution formula, which awards players with a percentage of tournament winnings.

In case of a tie, winnings will be divided equally among all those competing. The runner-up will receive $6.5 million, and third place will collect $5 million; fourth and fifth places each receive $4 million, with eighth through 150th receiving $85,000, respectively.

FedEx Cup standings play an essential part in determining how much a golfer will win at the Tour Championship. Should there be a tie among golfers tied in total points won, all these wins will be added up and divided among themselves and then divided among all tied golfers until one emerges with the lowest total score as the winner.

As part of their share of the FedEx Cup prize pool, runners-up will also receive a bonus of up to $25,000. This sum serves to recognize their accomplishments both during playoffs and regular season play, as well, as encourage continued efforts at leading to FedEx Cup success.

Runner-ups will also gain automatic exemption into all full-field events on the PGA Tour for 2024 – such as The Tournament of Champions and The PLAYERS Championship – while also enjoying full status in the FedEx Cup through 2023.

Runner-up’s share

The winner of the Tour Championship will take home an astounding sum of $18 Million – making it the highest single payday ever seen on any PGA Tour event. Though that might sound impressive, remember that this money does not count towards player career earnings but instead goes into their FedEx Cup playoffs bonus pool as part of rewarding players for all their hard work throughout the year.

Second place will earn $6.5 million; third-place finishers will get $5 million. Furthermore, all players cutting this final PGA Tour event of 2022-23 will gain an exemption into ALL full-field events next season, as well as THE PLAYERS Championship and Sentry Tournament of Champions if applicable.

Prize money galore has cemented the Tour Championship as a staple on the PGA Tour schedule, drawing players like Scottie Scheffler, who banked an incredible $2.7 million after winning The Masters earlier in April, to make this weekend an event not to miss!

However, he will not be alone; many of the top 30 golfers will also earn six-figure paydays as part of this bonus pool – in fact, every player in the top 150 of FedEx Cup standings will gain some distribution from it, and therefore, you will see more names below than just those 30 participating in Tour Championship.

Final score

The 2023 Tour Championship marks the final tournament of the PGA Tour season. With an astounding purse of $75 Million, players compete for more than just first-place shares – bonus payouts await the top ten finishers, and all 150 FedEx Cup members can count towards earning some portion from its bonus pool.

Viktor Hovland won this year’s Tour Championship, capping off an incredible season by dominating it by five shots. As second in FedEx Cup standings going into the event, Hovland used its staggered start to gain the edge and take full advantage.

At $18 million for first place alone, it is evident that this tournament presents all players with ample incentive to do well in competition. But even coming in last place can bring its rewards; all top-10 finishers will still receive at least $2.5 million each!

The Tour Championship’s winner will gain automatic qualification for all full-field events on the 2024 calendar, while its runner-up will get free entry into the Sentry Touornament of Champions – not as generous as exemptions granted to regular season winners but still providing top performers an incentive to finish well in FedEx Cup playoffs. In addition, its unique Promotional Interaction Program payouts reward those who generate positive coverage of the game through various forms.