Open 2026 prize money: How much does The Open winner get? Here's what the top 20 players receive

A total of 156 players did battle over the first two days at the Southport venue, with the top 70 and ties after 36 holes progressing to the final two rounds.

It’s the 154th time the oldest golf tournament in the world has been held, with the first teeing off at Prestwick Golf Club in 1860. It’ll be a bumper pay day for the leading players, but just how much cash are we talking?

Here’s what you need to know.

How much money does the Open winner get?

There is a total of $17.75m (£1.5m) up for grabs at Royal Birkdale, with the figure having been raised by $775,000 from last year’s prize pot.

This year’s champion will receive $3,200,000 - not bad for four days work - while making the cut will mean a guaranteed payday of at least $40,700. Just qualifying gets you $9,100 - even if you come dead last.

Here’s what the top 20 players will receive:

• Winner - $3,200,000
• Runner-up - $1,842,000
• Third place - $1,181,000
• Fourth - $917,000
• Fifth - $738,000
• Sixth - $639,700
• Seventh - $549,700
• Eighth - $463,250
• Ninth - $406,200
• 10th - $367,000
• 11th – $334,200
• 12th - $296,000
• 13th - $278,500
• 14th - $260,700
• 15th - $241,900
• 16th - $222,700
• 17th - $212,000
• 18th - $202,000
• 19th - $193,600
• 20th - $184,500

Why has the prize fund not jumped more than $775,000 this year?

That was explained by Mark Darbon, The R&A’s CEO, in his traditional pre-event press conference. He said: “We look at prize-money as part of a broader package that we offer here at The Open Championship.

“We've also increased and continued to increase our investment into the player experience, and we're very proud of the fact that we consistently get told by the players that the experience - the facilities, the services, the support - that we offer during Open Championship week sets the benchmark for the rest of golf. We're intent on ensuring that that continues to remain the case.

“So prize money is but one component of that comparison. At the same time, we're trying to find a model that gets the balance right. We have a relatively unique model at the R&A. We invest the proceeds that we generate from this Open Championship back into the sport. That's really important for us, and we think we're finding the right balance.”

What trophy does the winner of the Open Golf Championship get?

The winner of the Open is presented with ‘The Golf Champion Trophy’, better known as the Claret Jug.

It dates back to 1872 when the former trophy, the Challenge Belt, was won outright by Young Tom Morris after he won the competition in three consecutive years.

The three host clubs of Prestwick, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers all chipped in a tenner to buy the trophy, which was made by Mackay Cunningham & Company of Edinburgh. It is now on display at the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

The current trophy was first presented to Walter Hagen at the 1928 Open.

The winner must return the trophy before the next year's Open starts, receiving a replica to keep in their trophy cabinet.