In the women’s game, one tournament stands above the rest for prize money, the US Women’s Open.
The purse has more than doubled in the last four years, and the 2025 edition of the Major at Erin Hills had a prize money payout of $12m. In the end, Maja Stark held off Nelly Korda to win her maiden Major title and collect earnings of $2.4m.
However, while that is comfortably the largest check Stark has won in her career, not all of it will find its way into her bank account, with a decent chunk heading to the player’s caddie, Jeff Brighton.
Typically, the winning caddie will take 10% of the prize money, meaning Brighton should earn around $240,000, in addition to a probable base payment to cover his expenses.
Of course, it’s not just winning caddies who will receive decent money, with players finishing in the top 10 of tournaments generally expected to award their caddies 7% of their prize money, with 5% going to those whose players finish above the cut line.
Maja Stark won $2.4m in the US Women's Open
Before the tournament, USGA CEO Mike Whan confirmed that, like the previous year, players who missed the US Women’s Open cut will also receive a payment. He said: “If you missed the cut this week, you'll still receive $10,000. As I have said every year, we really believe that getting into this field is making the cut. There was over 1900, do I have that right? Over 1900 participants tried to make it into one of these 156 tee times.”
Because of that, while the caddies who headed off after two days won’t be in line for anywhere near as Brighton, at least there is some consolation for their early exit.
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