Augusta National Golf Club has increased the 2025 Masters prize money to a record $21 million, increasing the purse by $1 million for this year's event.
The club has also changed how much of the purse that the winner gets, giving them a record percentage of the purse in the modern era. Up until 2024, Augusta National paid 18 percent of the Masters purse to the winner, which aligns with how the PGA Tour typically pays first-place prize money in their regular events. However, this year, Augusta National has increased that winner's share to 20 percent. That means that the 2025 Masters winner will earn a record $4.2 million, an increase of $420,000 above what they would have made had the old formula been used.
The $4.2 million payday will mean the Masters winner makes more than the winners of the PGA Tour's player-hosted Signature events, which awards $4 million to the champion. Those select events, with a minimum field of 72 players, have a cut to the top 50 players and ties, as well as any player within 10 shots of the lead, after 36 holes. That $4 million payday represents 20 percent of the purse.
The $4.2 million first-place check is also higher than that of the $4 million awarded to the individual winners of LIV Golf events.
However, The Players Championship still offers the biggest first-place prize for a single tournament in golf at $4.5 million on a $25 purse, with a 144-player starting field.
Missing the cut at the Masters has also never been more lucrative. While Augusta National basically kept the payout structure in place for 2nd through 50th place, they increased the prize money for missing the cut from $10,000 to $25,000 for professionals. This means that the field will earn more than ever for just making it to Augusta National.
With a little more financial incentive at the top of the table, a Masters champion will get even more than they already earn by winning the event, including the replica trophy, the green jacket that's theirs for the year they're champion, invites to the Masters for life, exemptions into the other three majors for five years, a five-year PGA Tour exemption, 750 FedEx Cup points, critical Ryder Cup points (where applicable) and so much more.
