In a thrilling display of skill and composure, Xander Schauffele emerged victorious at the 2024 PGA Championship held at Valhalla Golf Club. His impressive 21-under-par performance not only secured him the prestigious Wanamaker Trophy but also a substantial winner’s check of $3.3 million. This victory highlighted Schauffele’s ability to deliver under pressure and reinforced his status as one of golf’s elite players.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool
This year’s PGA Championship featured a record-breaking total purse of $18.5 million, marking a $1 million increase from the previous year. The PGA of America’s decision to raise the stakes underscores their commitment to elevating the tournament’s prestige and rewarding excellence. The substantial prize money reflects the high level of competition and the dedication of the golfers participating in this major event.
Rewards for Top Performers
The financial rewards extended beyond the winner, with significant sums awarded to those finishing on the podium. Bryson DeChambeau, who claimed second place, earned $1.998 million, while Viktor Hovland, in third, took home $1.258 million. This payout structure ensures that top-tier golfers are adequately compensated for their outstanding performances. Notably, each golfer finishing within the top 10 received at least $500,000, highlighting the lucrative nature of the championship.
Detailed Prize Breakdown
The detailed prize breakdown reveals the extensive rewards distributed among the top performers:
- 1st (Winner): $3,300,000 – Xander Schauffele
- 2nd: $1,998,000 – Bryson DeChambeau
- 3rd: $1,258,000 – Viktor Hovland
- 4th: $888,000 – Thomas Detry, Collin Morikawa ($814,000 each)
- 5th: $740,000
- 6th: $660,580 – Justin Rose, Shane Lowry ($639,440 each)
- 7th: $618,300
- 8th: $577,790 – Scottie Scheffler, Billy Horschel, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Thomas ($521,418 each)
- 9th: $539,030
- 10th: $502,040
- 11th: $466,810
- 12th: $433,340 – Taylor Moore, Rory McIlroy, Lee Hodges, Sahith Theegala, Dean Burmester, Alex Noren ($359,943 each)
- 13th: $401,630
- 14th: $371,690
- 15th: $343,500
- 16th: $317,080
- 17th: $292,420
- 18th: $269,520 – Rio Hisatune, Harris English, Tony Finau, Keegan Bradley, Austin Eckroat ($230,764 each)
- 19th: $248,380
- 20th: $229,000
- 21st: $211,390
- 22nd: $195,530
- 23rd: $181,440 – Russell Henley, Tom Hoge, Maverick McNealy ($170,137 each)
- 24th: $169,990
- 25th: $158,980
- 26th: $148,410 – Ben Kohles, Kurt Kitayama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood, Brian Harman, Min Woo Lee, Corey Conners, Tom Kim, Mark Hubbard ($113,962 each)
- 27th: $138,280
- 28th: $128,590
- 29th: $119,340
- 30th: $110,540
- 31st: $103,490
- 32nd: $97,330
- 33rd: $92,040
- 34th: $87,640
- 35th: $84,110 – Brice Garnett, Max Homa, Hideki Matsuyama, Doug Ghim ($79,183 each)
- 36th: $80,770
- 37th: $77,510
- 38th: $74,340
- 39th: $71,250 – Aaron Rai, Joaquin Niemann, Jordan Smith ($66,848 each)
- 40th: $68,260
- 41st: $65,350
- 42nd: $62,530
- 43rd: $59,800 – Byeong Hun An, Lucas Herbert, Lucas Glover, Matt Wallace, Will Zalatoris, Dustin Johnson, Grayson Murray, Adam Svensson, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day ($48,969 each)
- 44th: $57,160
- 45th: $54,610
- 46th: $52,140
- 47th: $49,760
- 48th: $47,470
- 49th: $45,270
- 50th: $43,160
- 51st: $41,130
- 52nd: $39,190
- 53rd: $37,340 – Thorbjørn Olesen, Jesper Svensson, Patrick Reed, Patrick Cantlay, Zac Blair, Andrew Putnam, Erik van Rooyen ($32,587 each)
- 54th: $35,580
- 55th: $33,910
- 56th: $32,320
- 57th: $30,830
- 58th: $29,590
- 59th: $28,540
- 60th: $27,660 – Gary Woodland, Taylor Gooch, Adam Hadwin ($27,017 each)
- 61st: $26,950
- 62nd: $26,440
- 63rd: $26,000 – Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton, S.H. Kim, Cameron Smith ($25,202 each)
- 64th: $25,590
- 65th: $25,190
- 66th: $24,800
- 67th: $24,430
- 68th: $24,060 – Nicolai Hojgaard, Luke Donald, Sebastian Soderberg, Rasmus Hojgaard ($23,538 each)
- 69th: $23,690
- 70th: $23,340
- 71st: $23,060
- 72nd: $22,830 – Braden Shattuck
- 73rd: $22,650 – Alejandro Tosti, Martin Kaymer ($22,560 each)
- 74th: $22,470
- 75th: $22,350 – Ryan Fox
- 76th: $22,230 – Stephan Jaeger
- 77th: $22,140 – Jeremy Wells
- 78th: $22,100 – Brendon Todd
Compensation for All Participants
In addition to the substantial payouts for those who made it to the weekend, the PGA of America ensured that even those who missed the cut were compensated. Each player who completed 36 holes received $4,000. This gesture acknowledges the effort and dedication required to compete at this level, even if a golfer does not make it to the final rounds. For many PGA professionals, this can be a meaningful reward for their participation.
A Competitive Landscape
While the 2024 PGA Championship payouts were significant, they fell slightly short of the prizes awarded at other major events, such as the Masters and certain PGA Tour signature events. Scottie Scheffler, for example, earned $3.6 million for his Masters victory and even higher amounts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. Nonetheless, the PGA Championship remains a highly prestigious tournament with substantial financial rewards, contributing to its competitive allure and status in the golfing world.
Overall, the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla not only showcased exceptional golf but also highlighted the substantial financial incentives available in the sport. The increased purse and broad distribution of prize money underscore the championship’s importance and the value placed on high-level competition in professional golf.
