The prize pool given out to golfers at the Valspar Championship has increased since last year’s tournament, but still pales in comparison to the purse that LIV golfers earn.
Players who defected to LIV Golf continue to rake in far more money than those who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour.
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s title defence at The Players Championship, the PGA Tour will travel to the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook for the Valspar Championship – the final chapter of the Florida Swing. For his heroics last week, the No. 1 golfer netted $4.5million (£3.5m) from an overall prize fund of $25m (£19.6m).
This week’s event will feature an $8.4m (£6.6m) prize fund, which is $300,000 (£235,000) more than the pool from last year’s tournament. Taylor Moore finished on top in 2023, securing a $1.458m (£1.15m) first place prize. The winner this year will win $1.512m (£1.19m), 500 FedeX Cup points and approximately 50.3 points in world ranking, with second place earning just under $1m (£790,000).
Few other events in men’s golf this week compare in purse size, with the next closest being the DP World Tour’s Porsche Singapore Classic at $2.5m (£1.96m). The winner of this contest is slated to receive $425,000 (£334,000).
Though the Valspar Championship has increased in payout from last year, the amount of money still pales in comparison to the winnings offered by LIV Golf.
The Saudi-backed league has 12 regular season events this year, all of which have a $25m (£19.6m) prize fund. $20m (£15.7m) is designated for individual competition, with the remaining $5m (£3.9m) going to team competition.
A golfer who finishes first at one of these individual tournaments wins $4m (£3.1m), and the winning team receives $3m (£2.4m) that’s split up between the four players. Even the individual who finishes in dead last doesn’t leave empty handed, earning $50,000 (£39,300) for showing up. On the PGA Tour, The Players Championship is the only event to possess a larger purse.
At the end of the LIV Golf season, whoever finishes No.1 in individual standings receives an additional $18m (£14.1m) bonus on top of their earnings from the regular season. The Team Championship – the league’s culminating event – will have a $50m (£39.3m) pool that 13 teams will fight over. First place will earn $14m (£11m), with second and third getting $8m (£6.3m) and $6m (£4.7m), respectively. The last place group will still receive upwards of $1m (£790,000).
60 per cent of the team purse will be sent straight to the teams’ backers in 2024, and the leftover 40 per cent will be divided amongst the four players.
At last week’s LIV Golf event at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Abraham Ancer won his first league title and a $4m (£3.1m) prize fund. Paul Casey and Cameron Smith both tied for second place, each taking home $1.875m (£1.5m). Phil Mickelson finished 52nd, though still earned $50,000 (£390,300) for his efforts.
