There are lots of benefits that come with being a major champion, but if money means a lot to you, you’ll likely find the paycheck for golf’s fourth major of the year, the PGA Championship, to be outrageously awesome.
In 2017, Justin Thomas brought home $1.89 million — $90,000 more than Jimmy Walker pocketed the year before. The winner in 2018 will bring home even more than Thomas did last year (check out the breakdown below).
The winner also gets 100 World Ranking points, which can easily catapult him into the ranking’s elite zone — meaning invitations to World Golf Championships, where there is no cut and thus, a continued flow of money.
And speaking of points, a PGA Championship win is worth 600 PGA Tour FedEx Cup points, so a player will be well on his way to qualifying for the BMW Championship and Tour Championship at the end of the season — two more tournaments with no cut. And for players hoping to make this year’s Ryder Cup team, points-earning power is doubled at the PGA Championship and other major championships. (The European team qualifies via World Ranking points and money earned in European Tour events, which include the major championships.)
Now for the exemptions. A PGA Championship win punches your ticket back into the PGA Championship for the rest of your life — how about that? You also get a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, and a five-year exemption into the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and Players Championship.
Another perk? You receive an invitation to the following year’s Tournament of Champions, which takes place in Maui at the Kapaula Resort during the first week of January and is reserved only for PGA Tour winners. Oh yeah — there’s no cut in that event either.
The winner of the PGA Championship also receives a personalized replica of the iconic Rodman Wanamaker trophy, and the honor of having his name inscribed on the original Wanamaker, which is on display at the PGA gallery at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
In short, not a bad haul for four days of good golf!
PAYOUT BREAKDOWN (TOP 70)
1. $1,980,000
2. $1,188,000
3. $748,000
4. $528,000
5. $450,500
6. $380,000
7. $343,650
8. $319,600
9. $295,600
10.$272,300
11. $251,590
12. $232,400
13. $214,800
14. $199,050
15. $184,280
16. $170,700
17. $161,000
18. $152,000
19. $143,000
20. $134,000
21. $125,000
22. $116,000
23. $107,000
24. $100,000
25. $93,000
26. $87,000
27. $82,000
28. $77,000
29. $74,000
30. $71,000
31. $68,000
32. $65,000
33. $62,000
34. $59,000
35. $56,000
36. $53,000
37. $50,000
38. $48,000
39. $46,000
40. $44,000
41. $42,000
42. $40,000
43. $38,000
44. $36,000
45. $34,000
46. $32,000
47. $30,250
48. $28,500
49. $27,500
50. $26,500
51. $25,500
52. $25,000
53. $24,500
54. $24,000
55. $23,500
56. $23,000
57. $22,500
58. $22,200
59. $21,900
60. $21,600
61. $21,400
62. $21,200
63. $21,000
64. $20,800
65. $20,600
66. $20,400
67. $20,200
68. $20,000
69. $19,800
70. $19,600
