The 35 PGA Tour Tournaments That Pay the Most Money
The PGA Tour pits the best golfers in the world against the toughest courses on Earth in pursuit of hundreds of millions of dollars in combined purse money. The coronavirus public health crisis is forcing large public gatherings to close across the country, and professional golf is not immune — several of the big spring tournaments have already been canceled and more are likely to follow.
But when golf gets back underway, these are the 35 tournaments on the Tour that pay the most in terms of both total purses and first place winnings, making the winners quite successful.
Last updated: Sept. 15, 2020
35. CIMB Classic: $7 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.26 million
The CIMB Classic takes place in Malaysia and has been held every year since 2010. It’s one of the biggest sporting events in the entire country every year and attracts more than 35,000 spectators annually. It’s also beamed to more than 1.1 billion homes in 226 countries and territories across the world.
34. The Honda Classic: $7 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.26 million
The Honda Classic kicked off on March 4, allowing the tournament to sneak in just before the coronavirus crisis shut down big, crowded events — and big and crowded it certainly was. The event drew more than 200,000 spectators for the fifth year in a row. South Korean Sungjae Im won the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, event in dramatic fashion.
33. Shriners Hospital for Children Open: $7 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.26 million
The fourth event in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup season, the Shriners Hospital for Children Open takes place at TPC Summerlin. The Las Vegas course is consistently rated as one of the best in the country and the world. In 1996, newcomer Tiger Woods logged his inaugural PGA Tour win at the event.
32. RBC Heritage: $7.1 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.278 million
If plaid is your thing, the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina, is for you — about 1.35 million fans clad in plaid gather to watch the event, whose winner is awarded a traditional red tartan plaid jacket. The event, which has been running for 52 years, has delivered more than $44 million in charitable donations. As of now, it’s been called off this year due to the national health crisis.
31. Mayakoba Golf Classic: $7.2 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.296 million
The Mayakoba Golf Classic stands out as being Mexico’s first PGA Tour event. In fact, in 2007 it became the first PGA Tour event ever to be held outside of the United States or Canada. Participants play not just for money, but for coveted FedEx Cup points. Golf legend Greg Norman designed the course, the El Camaleón Golf Club in Riviera Maya.
30. Travelers Championship: $7.2 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.296 million
Currently set for June 22-28 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, the Travelers Championship has been held every single year since 1952. In recent years, one name has stood out among all the rest. Bubba Watson has won the red umbrella event three times since 2010.
29. Waste Management Phoenix Open: $7.3 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.314 million
The Waste Management Phoenix Open was held at TPC Scottsdale in early February before the current pandemic shut down large public gatherings. It’s hosted by a group called the Thunderbirds, which donates large sums of money for charity. This year, the Thunderbirds are giving $1 million in emergency funding to Arizona charities to help deal with the crisis.
28. Zurich Classic of New Orleans: $7.3 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.314 million
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans was set for April 20-26, but like so many tournaments, it has been canceled in compliance with the coronavirus precautions. The event has a history dating back to the early 1930s but came into the modern era in 1963 as the Greater New Orleans Invitational.
27. Charles Schwab Challenge: $7.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.35 million
Also scheduled for late May is the Charles Schwab Challenge, which is now in its 74th year. Kevin Na won it all last year with a score of -13. The annual event is held at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, and is one of only five invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour.
26. Farmers Insurance Open: $7.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.35 million
Also part of the FedEx Cup is the Farmers Insurance Open, which was held at the beginning of the year on Jan. 26. It’s held in San Diego, California, at the start of the West Coast Swing season. In years past, it was famous for being hosted by famed singer and entertainer Andy Williams.
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25. Houston Open: $7.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.35 million
Lanto Griffin won the 2019 Houston Open and this year, it’s a safe number of months away as it’s scheduled for Nov. 9-15. It takes place at Memorial Park Golf Course, which is considered to be one of the top municipal courses in the country. The $18.5 million course is funded by a nonprofit organization, and it’s one of the most modern and eco-friendly courses. It’s irrigated by a system that captures 80 million gallons of stormwater.
24. A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier: $7.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.35 million
The tournament known as A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier is currently scheduled for Sept. 7-13 — and it’s not an accident that it’s held on the anniversary of 9/11. The event benefits military members and first responders and has been held every year since 2010 at the Old White TPC at The Greenbrier in West Virginia.
23. Rocket Mortgage Classic: $7.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.35 million
As of today, the Rocket Mortgage Classic is still scheduled to take place at the Detroit Golf Club at the end of May. In 2019, Nate Lashley won the event with a combined score of -25. He’ll be back in 2020, as well, along with big names like Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler.
22. AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM: $7.6 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.368 million
Nick Taylor beat Phil Mickelson by one stroke to win the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM. The 2021 event is slated for February. It takes place on three famous golf courses on the Monterey Peninsula in California: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course and Spyglass Hill Golf Course.
21. Valero Texas Open: $7.7 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.386 million
The Valero Texas Open in San Antonio was supposed to run between March 29-April 4, but has fallen victim to the ongoing health crisis and was canceled. Corey Conners won the 2019 event and took home a cool $1.35 million for his efforts. The third-oldest PGA Tour tournament in America, it was first held in 1922.
20. RBC Canadian Open: $7.8 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.404 million
The RBC Canadian Open — an event whose past champions include names like Singh, Furyk, Norman and Woods — is scheduled for June 8-11. With more than a century of history, it’s taken place every year since 1904 except during World War I and World War II. Only the U.S. Open and Open Championship have a longer PGA Tour history.
19. AT&T Byron Nelson: $7.9 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.422 million
This tournament is named in honor of the late Byron Nelson, whose “greatest year in golf” took place in 1945. That year, Nelson won 18 victories, including 11 won straight in a row. The tournament’s sponsors, however, recently announced that the 2020 event, which was slated for May, has been canceled.
18. Wells Fargo Championship: $7.9 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.422 million
Originally scheduled for May 7-10, the Wells Fargo Championship, too, has been canceled. In 2019, Max Homa scored a combined -15 to take first place and win a prize of $1.422 million. The first tournament took place in 2003 and, in the ensuing years, it has become a PGA fan favorite.
17. Arnold Palmer Invitational: $9.3 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.674 million
The Arnold Palmer Invitational was able to proceed uninterrupted in 2020 and is scheduled again for March 1-7, 2021. Tyrrel Hatton won this year’s tournament. Formerly called the Bay Hill Invitational, it takes place every March at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Bay Hill, Florida.
16. The Genesis Invitational: $9.3 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.674 million
Adam Scott won the 2020 Genesis Invitational and the 2021 event is scheduled for February of next year. More than 1,000 volunteers make the tournament possible every year. The invitation-only event takes place at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, and next year’s tournament will be hosted by none other than Tiger Woods.
15. The Memorial Tournament: $9.3 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.674 million
Presented by OhioHealth, the Memorial Tournament benefits the nationwide Children’s Hospital system. It’s scheduled for June 1-7 at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, Ohio. The tournament was founded and is hosted by golf legend and repeat PGA Tour champion Jack Nicklaus.
14. BMW Championship: $9.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.71 million
Hosted at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, the BMW Championship takes place in August. The tournament, which is sponsored by the Western Golf Association, benefits the Evans Scholars Foundation, which helps golf caddies who display academic excellence but have limited means pay for college.
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13. The Northern Trust: $9.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.71 million
The first tournament in the FedEx Cup playoff season, The Northern Trust was formerly known as The Barclays. It features the 125 players with the most FedEx Cup points and takes place in August at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. American Patrick Reed won first place in 2019 and will be back again competing in 2020.
12. The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges: $9.75 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.75 million
Five hundred FedEx Cup points are on the line at The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges, which involves 78 players — including the FedEx Cup top 60 — for 72 holes in a stroke-play format. The only PGA Tour event in all of Korea, it takes place at The Club at Nine Bridges in the city of Jeju. Justin Thomas was the 2019 champion.
11. Zozo Championship: $9.75 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.75 million
The Zozo Championship is Japan’s inaugural PGA Tour event. It takes place at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. Last year was the very first year of the Zozo Championship — Tiger Woods won first place — and it is scheduled to run through at least 2025.
10. WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play: $10.25 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.745 million
The first eight-figure total purse is found at WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament at the Austin Country Club in Texas. Of the four annual World Golf Club (WGC) tournaments, this is the only one that’s played in the match play format. Like all PGA Tour events through the first half of May, the tournament has been called off this year.
9. WGC-HSBC Champions: $10.25 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.745 million
One of four annual WGC tournaments, the WGC-HSBC Champions takes place at the Sheshan International Golf Club at the Sheshan National Tourism Resort in the Songjiang District of Shanghai, China. It’s currently scheduled for the end of October through the beginning of November.
8. WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational: $10.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.785 million
The WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational is scheduled for the first week of July at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. The event’s sole beneficiary is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and since 1970, charitable donations from the event to the hospital network have totaled more than $43 million.
7. WGC-Mexico Championship: $10.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.785 million
The final World Golf Club tournament on the list is the WGC-Mexico Championship. It was held from Feb. 19-23 this year and Patrick Reed won the day with a score of 18 under par to secure his eighth Tour title. He beat Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke. It’s held at Club De Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.
6. The Open Championship: $10.75 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.935 million
The Open Championship is one of the most significant and widely watched events in golf. One of four major golf tournaments, the Open Championship is in its 149th year. The first major tournament and also the most international, it’s open to anyone who plays with a handicap of 0.4 or lower. This year, it takes place from July 12-19 at Royal St. George’s in Kent, England.
5. PGA Championship: $11 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $1.98 million
One of four major tournaments and one of the biggest events in the sport, the PGA Championship in Harding Park, San Francisco has been postponed for 2020. It was scheduled for May 11-17, but that timeframe falls within the timeline of the PGA’s blanket cancellation/postponement schedule. Although it was long the fourth and final major of the year, it is now the second major — or at least it was before it was pushed back.
4. Masters Tournament: $11.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $2.07 million
The most famous event in golf, the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club is a major like the PGA Tournament — and also like the PGA Tournament, it’s been indefinitely postponed. Originally scheduled for the first week in April, it’s historically the first major tournament of the year.
3. US Open: $12.5 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $2.25 million
The United States Open Championship, commonly called the U.S. Open, is the most lucrative major on this list and the third of four majors to take place during the year. Now in its 120th year, it’s scheduled for June 15-21 at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. It was first played on a nine-hole course in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1895.
2. The Players Championship: $15 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $2.7 million
The Players Championship is one of the biggest events in golf, but this year, it came at a bad time. Originally scheduled for March 10-15 at TPC Sawgrass, it arrived just as the coronavirus pandemic hit crisis levels and was canceled for the year. Held annually since 1974, it has a bigger purse than the four majors and all but one tournament in the sport of golf.
1. Tour Championship: $46 Million
Winnings for 1st place: $15 million
Only the 30 top PGA Tour money leaders are invited to play in the Tour Championship, which boasts a purse more than three times the size of the next most lucrative tournament. It’s scheduled for Aug. 26-30 at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. It represents the culmination of the PGA Tour season and — at least in terms of money — the biggest prize in the sport of golf.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 35 PGA Tour Tournaments That Pay the Most Money
