The PGA Tour has dramatically increased the purses. There’s $460 million in the pot

The American PGA Tour season is already in full swing. In addition to world ranking points and the season-long FedEx Cup, there are also some very lucrative prize money at stake. Far more than players on the PGA Tour are used to. There will be as much as $25 million on the line at some tournaments.

The only surprise is that it’s not the majors that are headed for one of the most generously subsidized events. It’s nothing new, though. Although these are the four most famous, well-known and prestigious events in professional golf, there are a number of tournaments where players can earn considerably more.

However, there is far more money in store for golfers this PGA Tour season than there has been in the past. There are still 38 tournaments left to play in the current season, with $460 million in prize money up for grabs.

The increase is especially evident when compared to last year, where just under $422 million was given out over 47 tournaments. There are several reasons for the increase in prize money. According to commissioner Jay Monahan, new contracts with television companies played a big role, plus the Tour has recovered from the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The biggest influence, however, has been the emergence of the rival LIV Golf series, which, in large part because of the fat purses, has attracted many players who were forced to leave the PGA Tour. The management of the American circuit has been highly critical of its competitor for its high bounties, but in a tight spot, the competitor’s offer to players has had to at least partially compensate.

Even so, the PGA Tour has repeatedly said that it simply cannot compete with the bottomless Saudi resources. The PGA’s biggest stars refer primarily to long-standing tradition and popularity.

The updated calendar of the traditional event also has thirteen events on the schedule this year, which are categorized as Elevated Events. Prize money at these tournaments has grown to $20 million. The same amount is reserved for FedEx St. Jude and the BMW Championship, two tournaments that are among the highlights of the FedEx Cup Playoffs season.

A record $75 million will be on the line at the final Tour Championship in August. The prizes have not yet been announced for the majors, as they usually don’t see the light of day until a few weeks before the event itself. Last year, prize money at these tournaments averaged over $15 million. These amounts are also expected to increase this year.

In other “regular tournaments” the prizes are of course lower, for example around $8 million. On the aforementioned LIV Golf circuit, the prizes are dramatically higher. There is a $405 million package for the 14 scheduled events.

However, LIV Golf has not yet released the complete list of all 14 tournaments, with only half of them still on the list. According to the official website, it is expected to start on February 24 in Mexico. Gradually, the LIV is expected to play more tournaments in North America, Europe, Asia, even Australia, where the best players in the world don’t go very often.

Source: PGA Tour, LIV Golf, golf.cz