Prize Money Payouts: Comparing Tours

I think it is time for LIV players to stop citing prize money payouts as one reason for switching tours. Let me explain to you why the PGA Tour has caught up.

Since the start of LIV, one of their main arguments was about more prize money for each tournament. They held their hat on the first-place winner, getting 4 million. The PGA tour has caught up to LIV, and the evidence showed this weekend. LIV was in Hong Kong, while the PGA Tour was at Bay Hill for the legendary Arnold Palmer Invitational. The Arnold Palmer is an elevated event, so the prize money is more significant than other tournaments. However, big-time players on the PGA Tour are only playing elevated events. And that is my point; the guys who left for LIV wouldn't be playing anything outside of elevated events.

I looked at the prize payouts for this weekend, and actually, the PGA Tour guys made more money.

1. Scottie Scheffler $4 million

2. Wyndham Clark $2.2 million

3. Shane Lowry $1.4 million

T4. Russell Henley $920,000
Will Zalatoris $920,000

T6. Sahith Theegala $730,000
Brendon Todd $730,000

T8. Byeong Hun An $579,000
Andrew Putnam $579,000
Emiliano Grillo $579,000
Max Homa $579,000

T12. Nick Taylor $389,666
Brian Harman $389,666
Lee Hodges $389,666
Justin Thomas $389,666
Tom Hoge $389,666
Hideki Matsuyama $389,666

WIN: Abraham Ancer, -13, $4 million

T-2: Paul Casey, -13, $1.875 million

T-2: Cameron Smith, -13, $1.875 million

T-4: Joaquin Niemann, -12, $900,000

T-4: Carlos Ortiz, -12, $900,000

T-6: Kevin Na, -11, $650,000

T-6: Bryson DeChambeau, -11, $650,000

T-8: Richard Bland, -10, $396,071: Charles Howell III, -10, $396,071: Graeme McDowell, -10, $396,071: Dean Burmester, -10, $396,071: Ian Poulter, -10, $396,071: Henrik Stenson, -10, $396,071: Jon Rahm, -10, $396,071

As you can see, after first place, the PGA Tour actually had high payouts for its players. Like I said, I know this was an elevated PGA Tour event. But again, the big-time players on LIV would only be playing these big events, just like current PGA Tour stars.

I think this whole thing about LIV guys making higher payouts has become a thing of the past. It was nice when they first started, but the PGA Tour has closed the gap with these elevated events, and now there doesn't seem to be much of a difference.

I still believe the PGA Tour won the weekend, here are a few reason for it. First, beating a setting like Bay Hill during Arnie's Tournament is hard. Second, I looked at LIV multiple times this weekend—one of the issues with playing in these "new golf" locations. Not many people show up to watch, or at least don't leave the party area. I saw a few times where Jon Rahm was hitting up to a green with no one around. That cannot feel good, especially after seeing thousands of people around the greens at Bay Hill.

To end, yes, the initial pay to go to LIV is massive, but outside of that, the individual tournaments seem to be evening out. I have said it before and will repeat it. I am a PGA guy through and through, and I love seeing them make the right moves to stop the bleeding to LIV.

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