The first three winners of the Open Championship (1860-1862) didn’t receive any prize money at all. That’s almost hard to believe given the cash on offer in the modern era and the figures were eyepopping when they were released after Scottie Scheffler’s victory in the 2025 edition at Royal Portrush.

Along with golf's oldest major trophy and the title of Champion Golfer of the Year, players were vying for their portion of a $17 million purse at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Scottie Scheffler won his second major of the year—and fourth of his career—Sunday, claiming The Open Championship’s claret jug with a four-shot margin. The win comes with $3.1 million out of the tournament’s $17 million overall purse—an amount that remained flat compared to 2024,