LIV Golf Fate Will Not Affect Top PGA Tour Prize Funds

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PGA Tour prize money in the biggest events is not expected to return to former levels, regardless of what happens to the LIV Golf League, Golf Monthly understands.

The PGA Tour introduced consistent $20 million prize money payouts back in 2022 in response to LIV Golf being born, having previously operated four $12 million tournaments as its most lucrative events outside of the Majors, The Players Championship and FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Since 2022, there have been at least eight $20 million Signature Events during every regular season, making up a total purse of around half a billion dollars each year if the Majors, FedEx Cup Playoffs and FedEx Cup Fall are all taken into account as well.

However, the future of the men's pro golf is very much up in the air right now with a new-look PGA Tour on the way and the fate of LIV Golf reportedly on a knife's edge.

LIV is preparing to lose its financial backing from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund at the end of the 2026 season and officials from the team-golf circuit are currently in the process of attempting to find alternative support.

Regardless of whether they manage it or not, it is understood the PGA Tour has no plans to reduce its tournament purses in track one events moving forward. That's despite reports suggesting the number of Signature Events is set to be upped from nine to 16 as early as 2028.

Meanwhile, track two purse levels are currently unknown as details continue to be thrashed out, but it is expected total player compensation across the Tour will continue to see progression in the coming years once final numbers are agreed.

That is perhaps no surprise given the recent multi-billion dollar investment by the Strategic Sports Group, which is due to help with the PGA Tour's growth in the United States and across the rest of the world.

Central to where the SSG's money is directed will be the PGA Tour's Future Competition Committee, which is chaired by Tiger Woods and features three members of the SSG as well as PGA Tour pros Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Camillo Villegas, Maverick McNealy and Keith Mitchell.

The FCC has long proclaimed one of its primary goals is to work towards building a "sustainable competitive and commercial model" that brings long-term success, and publicly available figures show the historic US circuit is in an extremely healthy position already.

The total prize money figure for the past five full PGA Tour seasons - not including the Majors or Tour Championship due to its switch from bonus money to official money - has jumped from nearly $368 million in 2022 to just over $450 million in each of the four subsequent campaigns.

Within that, the average figure fields are playing for in full FedEx Cup events is trending upwards, although the same number in FedEx Cup Fall tournaments has dipped by around 25%.

Nevertheless, the average payout in PGA Tour events overall has changed from just under $9 million in 2022 to $11 million or above in each of the four seasons since.

Further details on the PGA Tour's future plans - including prize money payouts - will arrive when Brian Rolapp addresses the media in the build-up to the Travelers Championship later this month.

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.