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The PGA Championship is entering a new financial tier in 2026. The prize money has climbed again, and payouts have spread deeper across the field. The elites are competing at Aronimink Golf Club for a record $20.5 million prize money this year, up from $19 million in 2025.

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PGA Championship 2026 prize money breakdown

Of the total purse of $20.5 million, the winner will collect $3,690,000. This represents the standard 18% cut the winner gets in PGA Tour events. The runner-up will collect the second-largest paycheck, $2,214,000, while the third-place finisher will receive $1,394,000.

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The table below shows the complete prize money breakdown at the second major of the year.

PositionAmount
1$3,690,000
2$2,214,000
3$1,394,000
4$984,000
5$820,000
6$727,600
7$681,050
8$636,400
9$593,700
10$553,000
11$514,160
12$477,300
13$442,370
14$409,390
15$378,340
16$349,240
17$322,080
18$296,850
19$273,570
20$252,230
21$232,830
22$215,370
23$199,840
24$187,230
25$175,110
26$163,460
27$152,310
28$141,640
29$131,450
30$121,750
31$113,990
32$107,200
33$101,380
34$96,530
35$92,650
36$88,960
37$85,370
38$81,880
39$78,480
40$75,180
41$71,980
42$68,880
43$65,870
44$62,960
45$60,150
46$57,430
47$54,810
48$52,290
49$49,860
50$47,540
51$45,300
52$43,170
53$41,130
54$39,190
55$37,350
56$35,600
57$33,950
58$32,600
59$31,430
60$30,460
61$29,690
62$29,120
63$28,640
64$28,180
65$27,740
66$27,310
67$26,890
68$26,480
69$26,080
70$25,690
71$25,360
72$25,040
73$24,730
74$24,530
75$24,370
76$24,230
77$24,130
78$24,040
79$23,970
80$23,930
81$23,910
82$23,900

While these are the amounts for those who make the cut, the PGA Championship has also set aside some amount for those who don’t. Professionals who miss the cut or fail to complete 72 holes will receive $4,300 each.

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Prize money at the PGA Championship has increased significantly throughout the event’s history. When it started in 1916, the purse was $3,000, and the winner, Jim Barnes, received $500. It first hit the $1 million mark in 1988. Back then, Jeff Sluman was the winner and received $160,000. Then, the prize pool increased to $5 million in 2000, $10 million in 2014, and $15 million in 2022.

Since then, the amount has continued to increase annually. This year’s PGA Championship marks the first purse pool over $20 million.

Apart from money, both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour are offering their respective season-long race points. The PGA Tour has put 750 FedEx Cup points on the line. On the other hand, the European Tour has made 10,000 Race to Dubai ranking points. These points will be distributed among those who make the cut.

The OWGR has declared the field strength at the major to be 478.25985. Of this, the winner gets 100 points, which is slightly over 17% of the total available. The runner-up gets 60 points, while the third position gets 40 points.

However, these numbers represent just the projected distribution. Based on the results and the leaderboard, the actual OWGR points distribution could vary.

Field overview at the PGA Championship 2026

The field at the PGA Championship 2026 comprises 156 professionals. Of them, there are 15 past PGA champions and 29 total major champions.

Headlining the field are the defending champion Scottie Scheffler and the 2026 Masters winner, Rory McIlroy. While the World No. 1 and No. 2 are the favorites, there are many others who are in contention to win the event. Some of them include Alex Smalley, Maverick McNealy, Matti Schmid, Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, and others.

With a stacked 156-player field and the biggest purse in tournament history, the PGA Championship 2026 promises high-stakes competition. From major champions to rising contenders, everyone at Aronimink Golf Club will be chasing a share of the record $20.5 million prize pool.

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Written by

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Kailash Bhimji Vaviya

750 Articles

Kailash Vaviya is a Golf Journalist at EssentiallySports, combining newsroom experience with a long-standing passion for the sport. He has been following golf since his college years, closely tracking the rise of modern stars and the drama of the game’s biggest tournaments. With a background in reporting and digital media, Kailash has built a strong foundation in research-driven analysis and storytelling that connects with sports audiences. At EssentiallySports, Kailash brings this blend of journalism and passion to deliver coverage that goes beyond scorecards. Whether it’s breaking down major championships, analyzing player performances, or exploring the cultural resonance of the game, his work aims to inform, engage, and bring fans closer to the world of golf. He has also written for Comic Book Resources (CBR) and Forbes, further expanding his portfolio across sports and media.

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Edited by

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Riya Singhal

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