Augusta National has never been a place that talks about money. The green jacket does not come with a price tag stitched into the lining. But the numbers have grown too large to ignore, and the Masters 2026 prize money reflects a tournament that knows exactly where it stands in professional golf's financial arms race.
Masters 2026 Total Purse
The 2026 Masters total purse is projected at approximately $22 million, building on the $21 million record set in 2025. Augusta National has increased the purse every year since LIV Golf's arrival, jumping from $15 million in 2022 to $18 million in 2023, $20 million in 2024 and $21 million in 2025. As of March 2026, Augusta National has not officially confirmed the figure, but the club has never reduced the purse year over year.
That projected figure places the Masters among the richest events in professional golf, though it sits below the Players Championship ($25 million). Augusta National has never chased the biggest number. It does not need to. The green jacket carries a currency no purse can match.
For context, the total purse at the first Masters in 1934 was $5,000. Horton Smith won the inaugural event and took home $1,500. Adjusted for inflation, that is roughly $34,000 in today's money. The 2026 winner will collect more than that on a single par five.
How Much Does the Masters Winner Get Paid?
The Masters winner's share is 20% of the total purse. At a projected $22 million purse, that puts the Masters 2026 winner prize money at approximately $4.4 million.
Rory McIlroy earned $4.2 million for his 2025 victory, completing the career Grand Slam in the process. Scottie Scheffler collected $3.6 million when he won in 2024 from the $20 million purse. Jon Rahm took home $3.24 million in 2023. Tiger Woods received $2.07 million for his storied 2019 comeback win, when the purse stood at $11.5 million. The growth tells you everything about where the sport has gone financially in half a decade.
Beyond the cheque, the champion receives the green jacket, a lifetime exemption into the Masters, exemptions into the other three majors for five years, and a five-year PGA Tour exemption. The unofficial benefits, the endorsement leverage, the invitations, the access, are worth multiples of the prize money itself. If you want to follow who is in the best form heading into Augusta, GolfMode tracks every tour and every tournament live, week to week.
Full Masters 2026 Payout Breakdown by Position
The Masters uses the standard PGA Tour prize money distribution. Based on a projected $22 million purse and a typical field of approximately 87 players who start the tournament (with roughly 50 making the cut), here is the full payout breakdown.
| Position | Percentage | Projected Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 20.0% | $4,400,000 |
| 2nd | 10.8% | $2,376,000 |
| 3rd | 6.8% | $1,496,000 |
| 4th | 4.8% | $1,056,000 |
| 5th | 4.0% | $880,000 |
| 6th | 3.6% | $792,000 |
| 7th | 3.35% | $737,000 |
| 8th | 3.1% | $682,000 |
| 9th | 2.9% | $638,000 |
| 10th | 2.7% | $594,000 |
| 11th | 2.5% | $550,000 |
| 12th | 2.3% | $506,000 |
| 13th | 2.1% | $462,000 |
| 14th | 1.9% | $418,000 |
| 15th | 1.8% | $396,000 |
| 16th | 1.7% | $374,000 |
| 17th | 1.6% | $352,000 |
| 18th | 1.5% | $330,000 |
| 19th | 1.4% | $308,000 |
| 20th | 1.3% | $286,000 |
| 21st-25th | ~1.0-1.2% | $220,000-$264,000 |
| 26th-30th | ~0.7-0.9% | $154,000-$198,000 |
| 31st-40th | ~0.45-0.65% | $99,000-$143,000 |
| 41st-50th | ~0.27-0.42% | $59,400-$92,400 |
The gap between first and second is over $2 million. That is the cost of a single dropped shot at the wrong time, a three-putt on the 72nd hole, a tee shot that catches the water at Rae's Creek. Every player who has stood on the 12th tee on Sunday with a chance to win understands what those numbers mean in the most practical sense possible.
Even the player who finishes last among those who make the cut takes home a projected payout of roughly $53,000, which is more than the total purse at many professional events globally.
Masters Prize Money History
The growth of the Masters purse tracks the growth of professional golf itself. Here are the key milestones.
| Year | Total Purse | Winner's Share | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | $5,000 | $1,500 | Horton Smith |
| 1954 | $20,740 | $5,000 | Sam Snead |
| 1967 | $148,200 | $20,000 | Gay Brewer |
| 1975 | $242,750 | $40,000 | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1986 | $632,400 | $144,000 | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1997 | $2,700,000 | $486,000 | Tiger Woods |
| 2001 | $5,200,000 | $1,008,000 | Tiger Woods |
| 2010 | $7,500,000 | $1,350,000 | Phil Mickelson |
| 2019 | $11,500,000 | $2,070,000 | Tiger Woods |
| 2022 | $15,000,000 | $2,700,000 | Scottie Scheffler |
| 2023 | $18,000,000 | $3,240,000 | Jon Rahm |
| 2024 | $20,000,000 | $3,600,000 | Scottie Scheffler |
| 2025 | $21,000,000 | $4,200,000 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2026 | ~$22,000,000 (proj.) | ~$4,400,000 (proj.) | TBD |
Two inflection points stand out. The first came in the late 1990s when Tiger Woods transformed golf's commercial appeal and purses across all four majors surged. The second arrived in 2022-2023, when LIV Golf's emergence forced the PGA Tour and its major championships to dramatically increase prize money to retain top talent. The Masters purse jumped $3 million in a single year between 2022 and 2023, then another $2 million in 2024.
The PGA Tour schedule for 2026 shows the full picture of how prize money is distributed across the season, and the Masters remains one of the focal points of the year.
What the Masters Champion Actually Takes Home After Taxes
Here is where the green jacket story gets less romantic. The winner does not walk away with $4.4 million in the bank. Not even close.
Federal income tax takes the first bite. A $4.4 million payout pushes the winner firmly into the 37% federal bracket, meaning roughly $1.63 million goes to the IRS. Georgia state income tax adds another layer at 5.19%, costing approximately $228,000. For international players, the calculus shifts depending on tax treaties between the United States and their home country, but most face withholding at source regardless.
Then come the professional expenses. A caddie's standard cut at a major is 10% of the winner's earnings, which means $440,000 to the person who read the putts and kept the player's head straight for 72 holes. Agent fees typically run between 10% and 20% of total earnings (though some negotiate a lower percentage on prize money specifically, closer to 4-5%). A swing coach, a putting coach, a fitness trainer, travel expenses for the week, all of these come off the top.
A reasonable estimate puts the Masters champion's actual take-home somewhere between $1.9 million and $2.3 million, depending on their team structure and tax situation. Still a life-changing number. But roughly half of what the headline suggests. GolfMode gives you the live leaderboard and shot-by-shot tracking throughout Masters week, so you can watch every swing that earns those dollars in real time.
How Masters Prize Money Compares to Other Majors
The four major championships have been locked in an unofficial spending war since LIV Golf disrupted the professional game's economics in 2022. Here is where they stand as of 2025 figures, which are the most recent confirmed purses.
| Major | 2025 Total Purse | Winner's Share |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | $21,000,000 | $4,200,000 |
| U.S. Open | $21,500,000 | $4,300,000 |
| PGA Championship | $19,000,000 | $3,420,000 |
| The Open Championship | $17,000,000 | $3,060,000 |
The Masters sits second among the four majors in raw prize money as of 2025, behind only the U.S. Open. The PGA Championship and The Open Championship trail behind, though the gap is narrow enough that a single increase from any of the governing bodies could change the order.
None of these figures come close to what LIV Golf pays at its individual events, where purses have reached $25 million with a $4 million winner's cheque, plus separate team payouts. But the majors offer something LIV events cannot: FedExCup points, OWGR points, and the historical weight that defines careers. No one measures greatness in prize money. They measure it in majors won.
For a deeper look at who is positioned to contend this year, our Masters 2026 predictions break down the field tier by tier. And the Masters 2026 preview covers the full field, tee times, and course setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Masters 2026 purse?
The projected total purse for the 2026 Masters is approximately $22 million, up from $21 million in 2025. Augusta National typically confirms the official purse during tournament week.
How much does the Masters winner get paid?
The Masters winner receives 20% of the total purse. At a projected $22 million purse, that equals approximately $4.4 million before taxes and expenses.
Do amateur players receive prize money at the Masters?
No. Amateurs who compete at the Masters are not eligible for prize money under the Rules of Amateur Status. If an amateur finishes in a paid position, the money is redistributed among the remaining professionals.
Has the Masters purse increased because of LIV Golf?
The timing strongly suggests it. The purse jumped from $15 million in 2022 to $18 million in 2023, $20 million in 2024 and $21 million in 2025, coinciding directly with LIV Golf's launch and the subsequent PGA Tour financial restructuring.
How much did the 2025 Masters winner earn?
Rory McIlroy earned $4,200,000 for his 2025 Masters victory, completing the career Grand Slam. Scottie Scheffler collected $3,600,000 when he won in 2024.
What percentage of the purse does the Masters winner receive?
The winner receives 20% of the total purse, consistent with the PGA Tour's standard prize money distribution formula used across most events.
Do players who miss the cut get paid at the Masters?
The Masters pays players who miss the cut a fixed amount. In recent years that figure has been $25,000 per player. Only those who make the cut receive a share of the official purse based on finishing position.
Published by GolfMode Editorial. Our content is researched and fact-checked by golf journalists covering professional tours worldwide. Learn about our editorial approach.
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