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Tommy Fleetwood of England gives a thumbs-up as he walks from the 8th tee during the first day of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Augusta, Georgia. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA AUG20260409741 JOHNxANGELILLO
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Tommy Fleetwood of England gives a thumbs-up as he walks from the 8th tee during the first day of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Augusta, Georgia. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA AUG20260409741 JOHNxANGELILLO
The Memorial Tournament has had one home, one host, and one standard since 1976. What has changed is the money. The $200,000 purse from year 1 is now $20 million, and with Poston leading at 10-under through 54 holes, Sunday will determine who collects the biggest slice of it.
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Here is the complete breakdown of what each golfer will be taking, as per GolfNewsNet:
| 1 | $4,000,000 |
| 2 | $2,200,000 |
| 3 | $1,400,000 |
| 4 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | $840,000 |
| 6 | $760,000 |
| 7 | $700,000 |
| 8 | $646,000 |
| 9 | $600,000 |
| 10 | $556,000 |
| 11 | $514,000 |
| 12 | $472,000 |
| 13 | $430,000 |
| 14 | $389,000 |
| 15 | $369,000 |
| 16 | $349,000 |
| 17 | $329,000 |
| 18 | $309,000 |
| 19 | $289,000 |
| 20 | $269,000 |
| 21 | $250,000 |
| 22 | $233,000 |
| 23 | $216,000 |
| 24 | $200,000 |
| 25 | $184,000 |
| 26 | $168,000 |
| 27 | $161,000 |
| 28 | $154,000 |
| 29 | $147,000 |
| 30 | $140,000 |
| 31 | $133,000 |
| 32 | $126,000 |
| 33 | $119,000 |
| 34 | $114,000 |
| 35 | $109,000 |
| 36 | $104,000 |
| 37 | $99,000 |
| 38 | $94,000 |
| 39 | $90,000 |
| 40 | $86,000 |
| 41 | $82,000 |
| 42 | $78,000 |
| 43 | $74,000 |
| 44 | $70,000 |
| 45 | $66,000 |
| 46 | $62,000 |
| 47 | $58,000 |
| 48 | $56,000 |
| 49 | $54,000 |
| 50 | $52,000 |
There is a lot more at stake than just the money. The winner here will also earn 700 FedEx points, 68 Official World Golf Ranking points, a two-year PGA Tour exemption, and automatic entry into the Masters, the PGA Championship, and The PLAYERS Championship.
The Memorial Tournament has had a $20 million purse since 2023. But back in 2021, when Patrick Cantlay won, the total purse was just $9.3 million. In two years, it more than doubled, as the tournament has been given the status of a signature event on the PGA Tour.
Jack Nicklaus has remodeled every hole since the course opened in 1974. The 2020 renovation rebuilt every hole, shifted greens and tees, and regrassed fairways and putting surfaces. In 2024, the 16th tee moved 25 yards right. In 2025, new tees went in on 16 and 17.
The winner won’t earn the prize money at Muirfield without much effort. The course has been testing everyone’s limits so far.
The Memorial Tournament has been testing the PGA Tour pros
Round 2 at Muirfield Village was not just difficult. It was the kind of day that made PGA Tour professionals question everything. Justin Thomas told reporters it may have been the hardest round of golf he had ever played.
“I can’t put into words how hard that was. That was the hardest round of golf that I can remember, major or non-major; it was just insane. The wind wasn’t really in the direction it was supposed to be or kind of forecasted to be for half the day, and that usually isn’t something that happens when it’s at 25, 20, or 25 miles an hour. It was just hard,” he said.
Scottie Scheffler, the world number one and two-time defending champion, said he felt like he was going to shoot 90. He did not, but the fact that the number even crossed his mind tells you what Friday at Muirfield looked like.
Rory McIlroy put it differently. He said the course constantly forces him to use other clubs because the fairways pinch exactly where his ball would land off the tee. After the second round ended, he and JT needed a mutual hug, just because the round was so exhausting for them. Ryan Gerard called Muirfield Village a monster, both mentally and physically.
The Memorial Tournament rewards its champion with prize money, prestige, ranking points, and major championship access. Yet at Muirfield Village, nothing comes easily. Sunday’s final round will test skill, resilience, and grit.
Written by
Edited by
Riya Singhal