AUGUSTA, Ga. — The first major championship of the year is halfway done, and the golfers who have made the cut are now competing for a record pot.
The golf world has once again descended on Augusta, Georgia, for the 89th playing of the Masters. With the iconic green jacket up for grabs on Sunday comes a $4.2 million first-place check, which is part of a record $21 million purse this week.
The Masters offered a $20 million purse last year, which set a record for the event and matched most of the other top events on the PGA Tour’s schedule. Scottie Scheffler then earned a $3.6 million check for his win at Augusta National last April. Only The Players Championship, at $25 million, topped the Masters' purse. That event offered the same purse this year, which sent Rory McIlroy home with a $4.5 million check after his playoff win at TPC Sawgrass.
By comparison, the U.S. Open set the record last season among the four major championships with its $21.5 million purse at Pinehurst. The PGA Championship offered an $18.5 million purse, and the British Open had $17.5 million up for grabs. All four major championships offered record purses at their respective events, and will likely follow suit this year.
Scheffler was the betting favorite entering the week. The top-ranked golfer in the world has won two of the last three Masters tournaments, and he’s coming off a historic tear on Tour last season where he won seven times, made the cut in every start and earned his first FedExCup win at the Tour Championship. Scheffler has three top-10 finishes in six starts this season, including a runner-up finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last month. He entered the weekend at 5-under, three shots back of the leader, Justin Rose.
McIlroy had the second-best odds to win this week, though he's not won a major championship in more than a decade now. He rallied back after an awful finish on Thursday to get right back in contention on Friday. Rose, however, took a one-shot lead into the weekend at Augusta National.
Here’s a look at how much is up for grabs this week at the Masters.
The Masters 2025 payouts
1. $4.2 million
2. $2.268 million
3. $1.428 million
4. $1.008 million
5. ...
