The PGA Championship is set for a thrilling finale at Aronimink with dozens of players still in with a chance of victory.
The PGA Championship, which at times in recent years has been a birdie fest, has played more like a US Open, with players struggling to post low scores before more opportunities presented themselves on Saturday.
That’s partly down to the Donald Ross-designed layout, with the undulating greens causing difficulties, as well as the thick rough.
Aronimink provided a stern test for players in the first two rounds
(Image credit: Getty Images)
In other words, it’s exactly what many fans hope to see from a Major – a genuine test of the players’ abilities befitting such a grand occasion.
Someone has to win it, though, and whoever does end up lifting the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening will earn more prize money than has ever been awarded at the tournament.
A year ago, the purse was $19m, and winner Scottie Scheffler earned $3.42m.
However, this year, $20.5m in prize money is available, with the champion winning $3.69m, before various factors reduce how much players actually earn.
That’s $90,000 more than players earn in the non-player-hosted PGA Tour Signature Events, although it is less than the $4m given to winners of the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament, despite a larger overall purse.
Players are competing for the Wanamaker Trophy – and huge prize money
(Image credit: Getty Images)
If a player finishes solo second, he will win $2.214m, with anyone placing solo third earning $1.394m. Meanwhile, even the player finishing 82nd will bank $23,900.
It’s not just the players who made the cut who earn prize money from the event, with those who failed to make it beyond 36 holes all winning $4,300.
With one round to play, Alex Smalley was the leader, building a two-shot cushion ahead of challengers including Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg.
Despite the record prize money, it is still less than what was offered at the first Major of the year, The Masters. At Augusta National, $22.5m was available, with winner Rory McIlroy scooping $4.5m.
Like that event, there’s more than just prize money at stake with plenty of great perks on offer, though, with the winner earning a lifetime exemption to the event, five-year exemptions to the other three Majors, 100 world ranking points and 750 FedEx Cup points.
Below is the prize money payout for each position at the PGA Championship before ties are taken into account.
PGA Championship Prize Money Breakdown 2026
|
Position |
Prize Money |
|---|---|
|
1st |
$3,690,000 |
|
2nd |
$2,214,000 |
|
3rd |
$1,394,000 |
|
4th |
$984,000 |
|
5th |
$820,000 |
|
6th |
$727,600 |
|
7th |
$681,050 |
|
8th |
$636,400 |
|
9th |
$593,700 |
|
10th |
$553,000 |
|
11th |
$514,160 |
|
12th |
$477,300 |
|
13th |
$442,370 |
|
14th |
$409,390 |
|
15th |
$378,340 |
|
16th |
$349,240 |
|
17th |
$322,080 |
|
18th |
$296,850 |
|
19th |
$273,570 |
|
20th |
$252,230 |
|
21st |
$232,830 |
|
22nd |
$215,370 |
|
23rd |
$199,840 |
|
24th |
$187,230 |
|
25th |
$175,110 |
|
26th |
$163,460 |
|
27th |
$152,310 |
|
28th |
$141,640 |
|
29th |
$131,450 |
|
30th |
$121,750 |
|
31st |
$113,990 |
|
32nd |
$107,200 |
|
33rd |
$101,380 |
|
34th |
$96,530 |
|
35th |
$92,650 |
|
36th |
$88,960 |
|
37th |
$85,370 |
|
38th |
$81,880 |
|
39th |
$78,480 |
|
40th |
$75,180 |
|
41st |
$71,980 |
|
42nd |
$68,880 |
|
43rd |
$65,870 |
|
44th |
$62,960 |
|
45th |
$60,150 |
|
46th |
$57,430 |
|
47th |
$54,810 |
|
48th |
$52,290 |
|
49th |
$49,860 |
|
50th |
$47,540 |
|
51st |
$45,300 |
|
52nd |
$43,170 |
|
53rd |
$41,130 |
|
54th |
$39,190 |
|
55th |
$37,350 |
|
56th |
$35,600 |
|
57th |
$33,950 |
|
58th |
$32,600 |
|
59th |
$31,430 |
|
60th |
$30,460 |
|
61st |
$29,690 |
|
62nd |
$29,120 |
|
63rd |
$28,640 |
|
64th |
$28,180 |
|
65th |
$27,740 |
|
66th |
$27,310 |
|
67th |
$26,890 |
|
68th |
$26,480 |
|
69th |
$26,080 |
|
70th |
$25,690 |
|
71st |
$25,360 |
|
72nd |
$25,040 |
|
73rd |
$24,730 |
|
74th |
$24,530 |
|
75th |
$24,370 |
|
76th |
$24,230 |
|
77th |
$24,130 |
|
78th |
$24,040 |
|
79th |
$23,970 |
|
80th |
$23,930 |
|
81st |
$23,910 |
|
82nd |
$23,900 |
