2026 U.S. Open Prize Money: Who Will Win How Much?

The USGA has increased the total prize purse for the 2026 U.S. Open Championship by one million dollars from the previous year, bringing it to 22.5 million dollars —a new record for America’s national golf championship. The announcement was made at the start of tournament week, and the full purse breakdown was released after the cut on Saturday.

The tournament was held from June 19 to 22, 2026, at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. The 72 professionals who made the cut shared the prize money—supplemented by a $10,000 stipend each for the 69 professionals who missed the cut. Amateurs traditionally walk away empty-handed: The four co-low amateurs—Ryder Cowan, Jackson Koivun, Miles Russell, Marek Fleming, and Eric Lee—receive no prize money, regardless of their finish.

Click here for the 2026 U.S. Open live leaderboard.

Wyndham Clark: $4.5 Million for the Champion

With his wire-to-wire victory—he led the tournament from the first round through the fourth—Wyndham Clark secured the winner’s check for $4.5 million. For the 32-year-old from Colorado, this is already his second U.S. Open title: In 2023, he won his first major at the Los Angeles Country Club. At that time, the first-place prize was $3.6 million. The increase to $4.5 million reflects the rapid growth in prize money in professional golf in recent years.

Clark prevailed in a dramatic finale, finishing one stroke ahead of Sam Burns. His total score of 4-under-par 276 —rounds of 64, 69, 70, and 73—is the lowest total ever recorded at a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, a mark last set by Retief Goosen in 2004.

Read all about Wyndham Clark’s second U.S. Open victory here.

Complete Prize Money for the 2026 U.S. Open – All Placings

The following table shows all placings, players, and the corresponding prize money for the 126th U.S. Open Championship. Amateurs are marked separately and do not receive prize money.

The Biggest Winners Aside from the Champion

Sam Burns – 2nd place, $2,430,000

For Burns, the runner-up check for $2.43 million is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s by far his best major finish—the Louisianan had closed the seven-stroke gap to Clark to just one stroke and gave it his all with a final round of 67 (–3). On the other hand, his first major title remains out of reach. The Birdie opportunities on holes 17 and 18 that he failed to capitalize on will likely haunt him for a while.

Tom Kim – 3rd place, $1,532,530

The 22-year-old South Korean, who had to go through the 36-hole qualifying round after dropping to No. 141 in the world rankings, surprised the entire field with his third-place finish. His $1.53 million prize isn’t just a financial boost—it also secured him a spot in the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

J.T. Poston, Keith Mitchell, and Scottie Scheffler – T4, $920,882 each

Three players, three very different stories behind the same payout. Poston posted a final 67, the second-best closing round in the entire field. Mitchell made a bit of tournament history with four identical rounds of 70. Scheffler, on the other hand—the world No. 1 and a Grand Slam contender, and clearly the crowd favorite of the day—never managed to find his rhythm.

Joaquín Niemann – T7, $617,090

Arguably the most remarkable path to a top-10 finish: Niemann started the tournament with a 78—including an 11 on the 6th hole (nine strokes plus two penalty strokes for throwing his club). What followed were rounds of 65, 72, and 66—a comeback that hardly anyone would have thought possible.

Rory McIlroy & Dustin Johnson – T32, $128,756 each

Two of the biggest names in the field left Shinnecock Hills without a top-20 finish. McIlroy (T32) had raised hopes at one point but fell apart during Saturday’s round. Johnson (T32) had an unremarkable tournament without any highlights.

U.S. Open Prize Money in Major Comparison 2026

The four men’s golf majors have been locked in a veritable prize money race in recent years, driven in no small part by financial pressure from the LIV Golf League. With a total purse of $22.5 million, the 2026 U.S. Open sets a new benchmark for the tournament itself. By comparison: The Masters in Augusta paid out $21 million in 2026, the PGA Championship $22 million, and The Open Championship $17 million.

The trend at the U.S. Open clearly illustrates the broader pattern: in 2020, the total purse was still $12.5 million; in 2023, it was $20 million; and in 2025, $21.5 million. Within six years, the prize money has nearly doubled.

What the Winner Gets in Addition

Wyndham Clark’s prize goes far beyond the check. As the 2026 U.S. Open champion, he will receive:

• Exemption to play in the next 10 U.S. Opens (through 2036)
• An invitation to the next 5 Masters tournaments
• Qualification for the next 5 Open Championships
• Qualification for the next 5 PGA Championships
• Custody of the U.S. Open Trophy for one year
• Induction on the USGA Champions Plaque at the USGA Museum & Library in Liberty Corner, New Jersey

The combination of financial rewards and sporting prestige makes winning the U.S. Open one of the most coveted titles in professional golf.

Preview: 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

The 127th U.S. Open Championship will be held June 17–20, 2027, at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California—one of the world’s most iconic golf courses. Wyndham Clark will enter the tournament with his head held high as the defending champion. Scottie Scheffler, who once again narrowly missed the Career Grand Slam in 2026, is likely to go into the week as the top favorite once more.