Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills carries a record $22.5 million purse, the largest in major championship history.
- The winner will earn $4.5 million, with the runner-up receiving over $2 million and the top four all clearing six figures.
- Players who miss the cut still earn $10,000 each, highlighting the tournament's prestige and financial rewards.
An argument can be made that there is no tougher golf tournament than the U.S. Open, and the fact that this year's tournament is being held at Shinnecock Hills, a notoriously difficult course, only adds to the brutality of it. Wyndham Clark, being the only golfer with a score better than one under par as of this writing, is a prime example of just how tough it is.
Given the stakes at play here, it should come as no surprise to see a massive prize purse. In fact, the purse is set at $1 million above last year's mark. With that in mind, let's see what these golfers are playing for.
How much money does the U.S. Open winner get? Prize money share and total purse
The U.S. Open purse is set for a whopping $22.5 million. That's a $1 million increase from last year's tournament, and it is tied with The Masters for the largest among men's major championships ever. The massive purse means there's money to be won for everyone, and an absurd prize for the winner, especially.
The winner is set to earn a $4.5 million payday, just $100,000 shy of the Masters winner and more than the other major championships, including The Players Championship and any tournaments part of LIV Golf.
U.S. Open payouts distribution by finishing position in 2026
Here's a look at the full 2026 U.S. Open payouts at Shinnecock Hills by finishing position.
Finishing Position | U.S. Open Prize Money |
|---|---|
Winner | $4.5 million |
2nd | $2.43 million |
3rd | $1,532,530 |
4th | $1,074,363 |
5th | $894,841 |
6th | $793,443 |
7th | $715,320 |
8th | $640,654 |
9th | $579,815 |
10th | $532,572 |
11th | $486,021 |
12th | $449,379 |
13th | $418,729 |
14th | $386,466 |
15th | $358,812 |
16th | $335,767 |
17th | $317,331 |
18th | $298,895 |
19th | $280,459 |
20th | $262,022 |
21st | $246,121 |
22nd | $230,220 |
23rd | $214,780 |
24th | $200,492 |
25th | $188,048 |
26th | $177,447 |
27th | $169,381 |
28th | $162,237 |
29th | $155,324 |
30th | $148,410 |
31st | $141,497 |
32nd | $134,583 |
33rd | $127,669 |
34th | $121,447 |
35th | $116,377 |
36th | $111,307 |
37th | $106,468 |
38th | $101,859 |
39th | $97,250 |
40th | $92,641 |
41st | $88,032 |
42nd | $83,423 |
43rd | $78,814 |
44th | $74,205 |
45th | $69,596 |
46th | $65,448 |
47th | $61,300 |
48th | $57,382 |
49th | $55,077 |
50th | $52,773 |
51st | $51,390 |
52nd | $50,238 |
53rd | $49,316 |
54th | $48,855 |
55th | $48,394 |
56th | $47,933 |
57th | $47,472 |
58th | $47,012 |
59th | $46,551 |
60th | $46,090 |
61st | $45,629 |
62nd | $45,168 |
63rd | $44,707 |
64th | $44,246 |
65th | $43,785 |
66th | $43,324 |
67th | $42,863 |
The winning prize is obviously what'll get everyone's attention, and understandably so, but the entire list of prize money is eye-opening. For example, the runner-up goes home with over $2 million, and the top four take home nine figures. Finishing in the top 38 gets you six figures. Heck, even if you finish dead last among the 67 qualifiers, simply qualifying for the U.S. Open results in a $40,000+ paycheck.
That's not too bad. While everyone wants the ultimate prize, getting over $40,000 just for qualifying shows why this is such a prestigious tournament. Only the absolute best of the best can qualify, and they get paid handsomely for doing so.
Somehow, that isn't the most amazing thing about the prize money handed out at the U.S. Open.
How much money do players who missed the cut at the U.S. Open make?
You read that right - even players who didn't make the cut earn a paycheck. 69 professionals missed the cut, meaning more participants missed getting to play in the U.S. Open than actually made it. Those 69 players still took home $10,000 each, a lofty sum for sure, all things considered.
It's not as if all of the players who missed the cut are completely unrecognizable, either. For example, 2024 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut by one stroke, and he hasn't played in a major in nearly a year now. Even 2021 U.S. Open winner John Rahm, who looked like a sure bet to make the cut, missed out thanks to a rough showing on Friday.
is in cruise control with a six-shot lead as of this writing, but with how hard it is to score at this course, who knows what to expect?
U.S. Open purse history: Winners and their prize money
The U.S. Open has always been a money-making enterprise, but the money only seems to grow by the year. Just look at how this year's prize pool and winner's take-home compares to that in this tournament in recent years.
Year | Winner | Winner's Prize Money | Total Purse |
|---|---|---|---|
2025 | J.J. Spaun | $4.3 million | $21.5 million |
2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | $4.3 million | $21.5 million |
2023 | Wyndham Clark | $3.6 million | $20 million |
2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick | $3.15 million | $17.5 million |
2021 | Jon Rahm | $2.25 million | $12.5 million |
While the prize money and purse stagnated last in 2025, it rose again this year, and it's gone way up in the last half-decade. The winner's prize money has doubled from $2.25 million to $4.5 million, and the total purse has nearly doubled from $12.5 million to $22.5 million. That is utterly insane, and shows just how much this sport has grown in recent years.
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