Tuesday October 3, 2023

The Evolution of Masters Winners Payout

Tiger Woods 2019 win
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
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The winner of the 2023 Masters Tournament will pocket a record-tying purse of $2.7 million.

That’s the same amount won last year by Scottie Scheffler, who’ll seek to defend his Masters title starting Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Last year’s total purse was $15 million. Runner-up Rory McIlroy earned $1.62 million. The top 10 finishers earned at least $390,000.

More on the creeping inflation of Masters winner’s purses over the decades:

  • Tiger Woods was the first Green Jacket winner to crack the $2 million mark for finishing first. He collected $2,070,000 (before inflation) for winning his fifth Green Jacket in 2019.
  • Back in 2001, Woods was also the first to make over $1 million for winning the tournament. He earned $1,008,000 – then took home the same amount when he repeated as champ in 2002.
  • In 1984, Ben Crenshaw was the first Masters champion to earn a $100,000 payday. He took home $108,000 for winning in the first of his two Green Jackets.
  • The first tournament winner, Horton Smith, won $1,500 in 1934. In today’s dollars, $32,759.33. The following eight winners earned the same amount.

Money isn’t everything. The chance to etch their name in golf history by winning the coveted Green Jacket is more important.

As the legendary Ben Hogan said, “If the Masters offered no money at all, I would be here trying just as hard.”

Champions Payout By Year

YearChampionScorePrizeInflation (2022)
2023Jon Rahm276 (-12)$3,240,000
2022Scottie Scheffler278 (-10)$2,700,000
2021Hideki Matsuyama278 (-10)$2,070,000$2,247,896.03
2020Dustin Johnson268 (-20)$2,070,000$2,340,657.24
2019Tiger Woods275 (-13)$2,070,000$2,369,496.60
2018Patrick Reed273 (-15)$1,980,000$2,307,542.51
2017Sergio Garcia279 (-9)$1,980,000$2,363,931.95
2016Danny Willett283 (-5)$1,800,000$2,194,875.00
2015Jordan Spieth270 (-18)$1,800,000$2,222,498.81
2014Bubba Watson280 (-8)$1,620,000$2,002,623.18
2013Adam Scott279 (-9)$1,440,000$1,808,986.21
2012Bubba Watson278 (-10)$1,440,000$1,835,483.51
2011Charl Schwartzel274 (-14)$1,440,000$1,873,467.92
2010Phil Mickelson272 (-16)$1,350,000$1,811,816.69
2009Angel Cabrera276 (-12)$1,350,000$1,841,535.49
2008Trevor Immelman280 (-8)$1,350,000$1,834,983.72
2007Zach Johnson289 (+1)$1,305,000$1,841,924.21
2006Phil Mickelson281 (-7)$1,260,000$1,829,062.50
2005Tiger Woods276 (-12)$1,260,000$1,888,064.52
2004Phil Mickelson279 (-9)$1,117,000$1,730,492.59
2003Mike Weir281 (-7)$1,080,000$1,717,728.26
2002Tiger Woods276 (-12)$1,008,000$1,639,750.97
2001Tiger Woods272 (-16)$1,008,000$1,665,675.89
2000Vijay Singh278 (-10)$828,000$1,407,167.25
1999Jose M. Olazabal280 (-8)$720,000$1,264,753.90
1998Mark O’Meara279 (-9)$576,000$1,034,149.69
1997Tiger Woods270 (-18)$486,000$886,155.14
1996Nick Faldo276 (-12)$450,000$839,340.34
1995Ben Crenshaw274 (-14)$396,000$760,429.13
1994Jose M. Olazabal279 (-9)$360,000$710,890.69
1993Bernhard Langer277 (-11)$306,000$619,729.41
1992Fred Couples275 (-13)$270,000$563,189.59
1991Ian Woosnam277 (-11)$243,000$522,128.85
1990Nick Faldo278 (-10)$225,000$503,796.86
1989Nick Faldo283 (-15)$200,000$472,016.13
1988Sandy Lyle281 (-7)$183,800$452,704.56
1987Larry Mize285 (-3)$162,000$417,335.39
1986Jack Nicklaus279 (-9)$144,000$384,503.65
1985Bernhard Langer282 (-6)$126,000$342,694.24
1984Ben Crenshaw277 (-11)$108,000$304,198.27
1983Severiano Ballesteros280 (-8)$90,000$264,442.77
1982Craig Stadler284 (-4)$64,000$194,089.12
1981Tom Watson280 (-8)$60,000$193,168.32
1980Severiano Ballesteros275 (-13)$55,000$195,336.77
1979Fuzzy Zoeller280 (-8)$50,000$201,549.59
1978Gary Player277 (-11)$45,000$201,982.36
1977Tom Watson276 (-12)$40,000$193,168.32
1976Ray Floyd271 (-17)$40,000$205,729.35
1975Jack Nicklaus276 (-12)$40,000$217,583.64
1974Gary Player278 (-10)$35,000$207,763.69
1973Tommy Aaron283 (-5)$30,000$197,736.49
1972Jack Nicklaus286 (-2)$25,000$175,029.90
1971Chales Coody279 (-9)$25,000$180,648.15
1970Billy Casper279 (-9)$25,000$188,563.14
1969George Archer281 (-7)$20,000$159,0482.29
1968Bob Goalby277 (-11)$20,000$168,189.66
1967Gay Brewer Jr.280 (-8)$20,000$175,239.52
1966Jack Nicklaus288 (E)$20,000$180,648.15
1965Jack Nicklaus271 (-17)$20,000$185,809.52
1964Arnold Palmer276 (-12)$20,000$188,806.45
1963Jack Nicklaus286 (-2)$20,000$191,274.51
1962Arnold Palmer280 (-8)$20,000$193,168.32
1961Gary Player280 (-8)$20,000$195,752.51
1960Arnold Palmer282 (-6)$17,500$173,019.43
1959Art Wall Jr.284 (-4)$15,000$150,850.52
1958Arnold Palmer284 (-4)$11,250$113,920.85
1957Doug Ford283 (-5)$8,750$91,127.67
1956Jack Burke289 (+1)$6,000$64,555.15
1955Cary Middlecoff279 (-9)$5,000$54,598.88
1954Sam Snead289 (+1)$5,000$54,395.91
1953Ben Hogan274 (-14)$4,000$43,842.70
1952Sam Snead286 (-2)$4,000$45,023.08
1951Ben Hogan280 (-8)$3,000$33,767.31
1950Jimmy Demaret283 (-5)$2,400$29,143.57
1949Sam Snead282 (-6)$2,750$33,814.60
1948Claude Harmon279 (-9)$2,500$30,357.88
1947Jimmy Demaret281 (-7)$2,500$32,808.30
1946Herman Keiser282 (-6)$2,500$37,519.23
1945No Championship (World War II) —  —  —
1944No Championship (World War II)  —  —  —
1943No Championship (World War II)  —  —  —
1942Byron Nelson280 (-8)$1,500$26,930.98
1941Craig Wood280 (-8)$1,500$29,862.24
1940Jimmy Demaret280 (-8)$1,500$31,355.36
1939Ralph Guldahl279 (-9)$1,500$31,580.94
1938Henry Picard285 (-3)$1,500$31,132.98
1937Byron Nelson283 (-5)$1,500$30,484.38
1936Horton Smith285 (-3)$1,500$31,580.94
1935Gene Sarazen285 (-3)$1,500$32,041.97
1934Horton Smith284 (-4)$1,500$32,759.33
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