The Open Championship — simply known as The Open—is the oldest, most storied golf tournament in the world. Steeped in history and tradition, this major championship is the crown jewel of links golf. First hosted on the Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, it is now usually hosted on iconic coastal courses across the United Kingdom and is the only major that is hosted on European soil. Winning the Open is more than just a Sunday triumph—it’s a legacy-defining moment that cements a golfer’s name alongside legends like Jack Nicklaus & Tiger Woods. But aside from earning the winner’s title and basking in eternal glory, just how many doors does that win swing open?

Well, firstly, the winner earns the prestige of winning the oldest major championship in golf and will have their name etched into history. The winner also receives one of the best trophies in golf, the Claret Jug, which was first awarded in 1873. Winners are allowed to keep the Claret Jug for an entire year, and once it’s time for the next Open, players are given a replica of it to keep forever. The Claret Jug is so prestigious that it has twice appeared on Scottish banknotes, in 2004 & 2005. The winner also receives a share of $3.1M from the prize purse. But beyond the Claret Jug & the immediate glory, a victory at The Open unlocks a host of long-term benefits that can transform a player’s professional trajectory.

First and foremost, the Open winner will receive a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour. This means automatic qualification to compete in every PGA Tour event for five seasons, no questions asked. It’s a massive deal, especially for players who aren’t already firmly established, as it eliminates the pressure of qualifying and offers the chance to build on the momentum of a major win. Even more impressively, the winner also gets a guaranteed exemption into the Open itself until the age of 55. That means a ticket back to the scene of glory every year. This is unlike the exemption that J.J. Spaun received with his win at Oakmont, where he earned only a ten-year exemption for every single U.S. Open until 2035.

The perks don’t stop there. A victory at The Open also comes with five-year exemptions into the other three majors —The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship. This automatic access to golf’s most exclusive fields opens up new opportunities to chase the elusive Grand Slam. For many, this results in higher world ranking points and, not least, lucrative endorsement opportunities. The champion will also receive a lifetime invitation to both the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior Open Championship upon turning 50, as well as a one-year exemption into the U.S. Senior Open.

But the perks of winning The Open don’t stop with exemptions and invites—there’s a whole suite of additional rewards that come with lifting the Claret Jug.

Other perks the winner will earn at the Open 2025

Beyond the long-term benefits, the champion earns significant world ranking points, often resulting in a major boost up the Official World Golf Ranking—a critical factor in qualifying for elite events and team competitions. The winner on Sunday will earn a maximum of 100 points on the OWGR, similar to what the other majors offer. Not just that, but the winner also earns 750 points and gets a huge bump in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup rankings. So if Scottie Scheffler wins the Open on Sunday, his FedEx Cup points will go up to 4805 points from his current points of 4056.

The win also means that a lot of Ryder Cup points and the player’s spot at the Ryder Cup are almost guaranteed. For Americans, every player who even makes the cut at the Open earns 1.5 Ryder Cup points per $1000 earned, whereas if the winner is European, they earn 835 points in a go. The winner also receives a gold medal engraved with the details of the Open and their name, along with a title, “Champion Golfer of the Year.” When Jordan Spieth won the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, he realised how special the victory was when they announced him as the 2017 Champion Golfer of the Year — “Champion Golfer of the Year is such a cool title. When those words were spoken on the green at Birkdale, it just kind of hit me.”

The winner also gets access to what’s called the ‘Champions Corner’ in the locker room in every club that the Open is hosted in. It’s a special spot where only the past champions are allowed, and it includes photos of all the past champions holding the Claret Jug. In the end, winning the Open isn’t just about a trophy or a title—it’s a gateway to lifelong prestige, global recognition, and a permanent place in golf history.