Prize Money Increase for Open Championship

Total prize money for The Open Championship at Royal Troon will be £4 million, an increase of £100,000 on the 2003 figure. The 2004 Champion will receive a cheque for £720,000, an increase of £20,000 from last year.

The additional £100,000 will be distributed amongst the 70 players and ties who make the cut, with an average increase of 2.6%. ‘We have increased The Open Championship prize money in line with inflation and this again keeps The Open purse highly competitive,’ said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A Group of Companies.

The increase in prize money should prove attractive to overseas competitors, particularly those from the United States, with the prize fund equating to U.S. $7.1 million at today’s exchange rates.

In recent years prize money has been substantially increased and in the seven years since Justin Leonard won at Royal Troon, the first prize has increased almost three-fold, from £250,000 to £720,000, and the total prize fund from £1.6 million to £4 million.

For further information contact:

Peter Dawson, Chief Executive
David Hill, Director of Championships
The R&A Group of Companies
Tel: 01334 460000