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With the dust now settled from the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, Rory McIlroy topped all other golfers in prize money won at this year’s four major championships, which paid out a combined $83.25 million—the highest total ever for those events.
Boosted by his $4.5 million paycheck that came alongside winning his second consecutive Masters, McIlroy earned $5.34 million at the four majors.
The PGA Championship was McIlroy’s second-largest payday, $637,050 for finishing in a tie for seventh place at Aronimink Golf Club just outside Philadelphia. McIlroy was one of 14 players who made the cut at all four majors. He also earned $128,756 for placing T32 at the U.S. Open and $69,750 for finishing T40 at the Open Championship.
McIlroy is not surprisingly joined by fellow 2026 major winners Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open), Aaron Rai (PGA Championship), and Ryan Fox (Open Championship) in the top 10 major prize money earners list. However, two golfers who did not win a major, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, were each able to earn more money than two golfers who did claim a major, Rai and Fox.
- Rory McIlroy: $5.34 million
- Wyndham Clark: $4.75 million
- Scottie Scheffler: $4.54 million
- Sam Burns: $4.46 million
- Aaron Rai: $4.16 million
- Ryan Fox: $3.46 million
- Cameron Young: $3.12 million
- Justin Rose: $1.98 million
- Jon Rahm: $1.96 million
- Alex Smalley: $1.85 million
Scheffler and Burns were boosted by each cashing $2.43 million checks in the richest majors, the Masters and U.S. Open, respectively, for their second-place finishes at Augusta National and Shinnecock Hills.
Cameron Young was the only other player to earn more than $3 million, boosted by $1.08 million for a T3 finish at the Masters and $1.84 million for second place at the Open Championship. Not included in Young’s major total is the $4.5 million he earned for winning the Players Championship.
Jon Rahm was the only LIV Golf member inside the top 10 major prize money list. Rahm’s LIV teammate Tyrrell Hatton came in 12th place with $1.74 million.
Season-Long Races
With golf’s major season complete and three tournaments left in the PGA Tour’s regular season, Scheffler is leading PGA Tour players in prize money won at all events in 2026, including majors. Here are the top 5:
- Scottie Scheffler: $15.95 million
- Cameron Young: $13.95 million
- Matt Fitzpatrick: $13.75 million
- Wyndham Clark: $9.88 million
- Colin Morikawa: $8.55 million
McIlroy, despite cashing in at the majors, is in sixth place overall with $8.47 million. McIlroy has only played in 11 PGA Tour events (including majors) this year, compared to Scheffler’s 16.
Scheffler is also in first place in the FedEx Cup standings; bonus money will be paid out at the conclusion of the BMW Championship, which is the second of three playoff events and the penultimate tournament of the 2026 PGA Tour season. The points leaders will earn a $23 million bonus, with descending payouts for second place ($13 million) through 125th ($100,000).
The Tour Championship will pay out a $40 million purse, with the winner earning $10 million.
Rahm is LIV Golf’s prize money leader with $18.52 million; Bryson DeChambeau is second with $12.86 million.
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