The Presidents Cup returned in 2026, this year heading to Medinah as the United States side tried to maintain its stronghold over this event and the International team. The International contingent has only won once in the event's history since 1994, a victory that came in 1998, and then has just one tie to its credit from back in 2003. Since then, though, it's been 20 years of dominance from the Americans. However, the International team tried to change that this year at Medinah.
Going into Sunday singles, the international team held a 10.5-7.5 lead over the United States. Unfortunately, the singles matches have often been where the US side is able to take full control — and while we weren't trending toward an overly dominant win for the Americans, they were able to seemingly retake control and narrowly edge out a victory. But one thing golf fans always want to know is what's on the line in these events in terms of prize money. So let's dive into the payouts for the 2026 Presidents Cup, which is a different format than it used to be.
How much prize money do Presidents Cup players receive?
The matter-of-fact answer is that players, captains and assistants at the Presidents Cup don't receive any prize money. Win or lose, there is no purse or payout awarded in the event to either the United States or International teams. However, that isn't to say that the players go home emptyhanded. Instead, it's a unique system that is designed to encourage charitable contributions from those involved in the Presidents Cup.
Everyone involved on either team for the 2026 Presidents Cup received a $250,000 stipend for participating in the event. That money can be used however they please, including being donated to charities or related foundation work, to cover travel or even for "other priorities". That is to say that some of the money is likely to go to charity, but there is now an avenue for the players to use some of that prize money as well.
This is a stark change for the Presidents Cup that has materialized over the years. From the inception of the event in 1994 and for the first 13 events that were held, there was no stipend or prize money handed out by the PGA Tour, who runs the Presidents Cup. They were allocated money to specifically only be used to donate to charities. According to reports, players were given $150,000 for those efforts in the 2010s.
Changes in recent years have led to a different structure, however. While most players and captains still elect to give the bulk of their stipend to charities, the fact that it's no longer the requirement is a stark difference.
How does Presidents Cup prize money differ from the Ryder Cup?
Much like the Presidents Cup, there is no official prize money for the Ryder Cup either. There isn't a payout for being on the winning or losing team as that's not what's at stake. However, there are significant differences even to the stipend and money awarded to participants at the Ryder Cup that actually, at lest somewhat, favors the Presidents Cup.
For years, there was no money involved for competing in the Ryder Cup, something that the United States team fought to change for a long time. In the 2026 Ryder Cup, they finally got their wish as the 12 players on the US team each received $500,000 for their participation. However, much like the previous editions of the Presidents Cup, $300,000 of that money was designated to be donated to charity, while the other $200,000 was just for the player.
Where things vastly differ beyond just the amount, though, is that the PGA of America and DP World Tour do not have a uniform approach when it comes to money awarded to players at the Ryder Cup. While the PGA of America is behind the $500,000 for the United States players, the players on the European team still receive nothing for their participation in the competition.
Perhaps that's soon to come. But for now, that's something the International team players get in the Presidents Cup that the Europeans aren't so lucky to get.
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