Masters winner to receive record $4.2 million prize

Augusta National boosts total purse to $21 million as Masters 2025 offers highest payout in tournament history.

A close-up view of The Masters logo on a member's jacket during a practice round ahead of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The Masters 2025 winner is set to receive a record $4.2 million prize, Augusta National Golf Club confirmed on Saturday, raising the stakes ahead of Sunday’s final round of the iconic tournament. With a total purse of $21 million—also the largest in Masters history—this year’s edition is not only about the prestige of the green jacket but also about redefining financial rewards in major championship golf.

This announcement places the Masters on a new financial tier, reflecting both its historic importance and the broader shifts in professional golf economics. The 89th edition of the tournament, played under the Georgia pines at Augusta National, will see the top finishers earn more than ever before, with the runner-up set to take home $2.268 million, and third place earning $1.428 million.

A significant jump from last year

The prize boost represents a sharp increase from the 2024 edition, when Scottie Scheffler claimed victory and received $3.6 million for his triumph. That win also marked a $20 million purse overall. But in just one year, Augusta National has escalated both the winner’s share and the full purse by a substantial margin.

With $600,000 added to the winner’s earnings and $1 million more in total payout, the Masters is making a bold statement amid the ever-growing financial stakes in global golf. The decision comes as rival leagues and international tournaments also continue to increase their own prize funds to attract the best players.

It’s a sign that even an event as steeped in tradition as the Masters isn’t immune to the shifting economic currents shaping the modern game.

How the Masters 2025 purse is divided

Beyond the top two payouts, the money keeps flowing generously down the leaderboard. The player finishing in third will earn $1.428 million, while fourth place takes home just over $1 million at $1.008 million. Fifth place is valued at $840,000, which would be a winner’s check in many regular-season events on the PGA Tour.

These increases affect a wide swath of the field. The financial reward for simply making the cut in Augusta now comes with the prospect of six-figure payouts, depending on a player’s weekend performance.

For many players, particularly those outside the consistent top 10 in the world rankings, this kind of payout at a single tournament can define their season—or even their year. It also adds intensity to the final rounds, where every stroke can shift a player’s earnings by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The prestige of the green jacket remains

Despite the record-setting financial figures, the soul of the Masters remains the same. For most players, the green jacket still represents the pinnacle of individual achievement in golf. The tradition, history, and mystique of Augusta National are what elevate the Masters beyond other events.

Winning at Augusta does more than boost a bank account. It guarantees an invitation to the Masters for life, a place in the sport’s most exclusive fraternity, and usually a massive jump in sponsorship value and global recognition.

Still, the $4.2 million winner’s check only enhances what is already considered one of the most desirable trophies in the sport. For the world’s top golfers, Sunday’s final round now carries not only historic consequences but financial ones as well.

Competitive context: how Masters 2025 compares to other majors

In recent years, the battle among golf’s governing bodies and tours has included a financial arms race. The U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship have all raised their payouts, but the 2025 Masters now leads the field.

To compare, the 2024 U.S. Open offered a $20 million purse with $3.9 million to the winner. The Open Championship and PGA Championship trailed slightly behind, making Augusta’s new figures the benchmark for major golf payouts.

In the broader context of professional golf, LIV Golf’s emergence and its billion-dollar backing have forced more traditional institutions to rethink how they reward players. While the Masters has always been conservative in its evolution, its 2025 purse signals an understanding that competitiveness extends beyond the fairways.

A turning point for Augusta National?

Augusta National is often seen as a guardian of golf’s traditions—famously resistant to rapid changes. Yet in recent years, even this bastion of tradition has taken steps to modernize its approach. From increasing broadcast accessibility to expanding its player field and investing in digital experiences for fans, the tournament has shown a willingness to evolve.

The increased prize money could be another chapter in that evolution. It’s a subtle yet powerful message: Augusta still reveres tradition, but it also understands the realities of the 21st-century sports economy.

The move may also help the Masters continue to draw the world’s best players amid shifting alliances in the sport. With rival tours offering guaranteed contracts and large purses, the Masters is leveraging its unique position—offering both history and modern reward.

What it means for Sunday’s contenders

With the final round of Masters 2025 set to take place on Sunday, the prize money revelation adds yet another layer to the already electric atmosphere. For players within striking distance of the lead, the stakes have never been higher.

For fans, it raises the drama. Every putt and drive carries more weight, not just in the fight for the green jacket but also in the pursuit of a life-changing payday.

Golfers like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka—if they’re near the top of the leaderboard—will now be eyeing both the historic win and the enormous financial windfall. And for lesser-known names, a top-five finish could turn them into household names overnight.

Prize money and legacy: a new balance?

For decades, golf’s greatest champions have emphasized legacy over money when it comes to the majors. And while that ethos remains largely intact, the financial rewards are now too substantial to ignore.

The Masters 2025 winner to receive record $4.2 million prize is not just a headline—it’s a defining feature of this year’s tournament. It reflects the growing reality in sports where legacy and earnings now coexist rather than compete.

For Augusta National, the decision ensures that the Masters remains at the forefront of the game, rewarding excellence not only with a green jacket but with generational wealth.

As Sunday’s final round gets underway, fans around the world will be watching history unfold—not just because a champion will rise, but because that champion will claim the richest prize the Masters has ever offered.