(Augusta) This year’s Augusta Tournament will offer the winner a record $3.24 million, out of an equally record prize pool of $18 million, host club Augusta National announced on Saturday. Golf slam.
The previous record was $15 million last year, with current world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler taking home a then-record prize of $2.7 million.
Although historic for the Augusta Tournament, these amounts pale in comparison to the 25 million dollars at stake during each tournament of the LIV, this dissident circuit of the PGA, created last summer and financed by Arabia saudi.
These amounts have allowed the LIV to attract many stars from the PGA, which consequently has banned LIV players from participating in its events, while a legal battle between these two circuits should be brought to court at the beginning of next year.
The PGA has also changed its schedule to create more tournaments with larger prize pools and fewer players.
But LIV golfers are allowed to participate in Grand Slam rounds, which are independent of the PGA.
Brooks Koepka, one of the headliners of LIV, is also leading the tournament at the start of the 3e round, ahead of Jon Rahm, of the PGA Tour.
If Koepka wins the tournament on Sunday, he will earn less than the $4 million he earned by winning last week’s 54-hole tournament at LIV in Orlando.
This week, American Harold Varner made it clear that it was all about the money, when asked what the main benefit of his move to LIV was.
“It’s all about the money,” Varner said. “It’s generational. The way I grew up, it’s important to me to take care of my family, and you can do that by just signing a contract…I would do it again. »
The runner-up in this year’s tournament will receive $1.944 million and the third-place finisher $1.224 million, provided amateur Sam Bennett does not finish in that spot, as he cannot cash out.
