Biggest Prize Money Purse in Golf in 2021

Presented here is a list of the biggest prize money purses in golf in 2021. At the top of the list is the largest-ever payout to one golfer for one tournament in the history of golf.

In this day and age, golfers can make incredible amounts of money for winning just one tournament. Some golfers can make incredible amounts of money even if they do not win a tournament.

Generally speaking, the highest-paying tournaments in golf are the four majors, but in 2021, it is a non-major that ties the record for the highest-ever payout for a golf tournament to the winner. Also, in general, the highest-paying tournaments in the world are on the PGA Tour, but the record-breaking highest payout golf tournament is not a PGA Tour event.

I hope you enjoy the list.

1. DP World Tour Championship—$3 million

The winner of the 2021 DP World Tour Championship will take home a golf record: $3 million for the win. That is the highest payout ever for a golfer for one tournament.

The DP World Tour Championship is the season-ending event on the European Tour. The tournament has had a $8 million total purse payout since 2012, and from 2012 to 2018 the winner earned $1.3 million. But in 2019, the winner's share was raised to a record $3 million.

So far, Jon Rahm (2019) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (2020) have each earned the record highest payout for one golfer in one tournament of $3 million.

Only the top 50 players in points on the European Tour can compete in the DP World Tour Championship. The total purse for the event is still $8 million, and it is scheduled to take place from November 18-21, 2021, at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, UAB.

2. Nedbank Golf Challenge—$2.5 million

The second highest payout to a golfer in 2021, and in the history of golf, is the $2.5 million that the winner of the Nedbank Golf Challenge will take home one week prior to the DP World Tour Championship. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is the second of the three European Tour playoff events in 2021.

It will be played November 11-14, 2021, at the Gary Player Country Club in South Africa. Only the top 60 European Tour players can compete. Tommy Fleetwood took home the $2.5 million top prize in 2019. The tournament was not played in 2020.

3. Players Championship—$2.7 million

The Players Championship will pay out a PGA Tour and United States record $2.7 million to the winner of this flagship event scheduled to take place March 11-14, 2021. The event is always played at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.

4. US Open—$2.25 million

The U.S. Open paid out what was a record $2.25 million to winner Gary Woodland, on June 16, 2019. Bryson DeChambeau earned the same amount in 2020. The U.S. Open is scheduled to take place June 17-20, 2021, at Torrey Pines which is owned by the city of San Diego.

5. Masters—$2.07 million

The Masters paid out $2.07 million to winner Tiger Woods, on April 14, 2019 and winner Dustin Johnson on November 15, 2020. The Masters is played at Augusta National and is scheduled for April 8-11, 2021.

7. PGA Championship—$1.98 million

Brooks Koepka earned $1.98 million each for winning the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship and Colin Morikawa earned the same amount for winning the 2020 edition. The 2021 PGA Championship is scheduled to be played May 20-23 on the South Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.

The fact that the PGA pays out more money to the Players Championship winner than the PGA Championship says to the golfing world that the PGA does not respect its owns golf major. Why should anyone else?

8. British Open—$1.935

Called The Open in England, this golf major paid out $1.935 to winner Shane Lowry, on July 21, 2019. It was played at the Royal Portrush Golf Club. This major was not played in 2020, but is scheduled to take place July 15-18, 2021, at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, Kent, England.