Record prize fund for Portrush Open

NEXT month’s eagerly-awaited Open Championship return to Royal Portrush will be the richest in the 148-year history of the tournament.

On top of record-breaking ticket sales, with all four days sold out for the first time, the Royal & Ancient organisers have now announced a total prize fund of £8.48m (€9.5m), an increase of approximately £200,000 from last year.

The Royal Portrush winner on Sunday, July 21 will naturally walk away with the lion’s share, collecting £1.5m (€1.67m), an increase of £35,500 from 2018 but it is by no means the biggest prize in world golf.

Of the Majors, the US Open is the most lucrative, with Gary Woodland winning almost €2m for his recent success at Pebble Beach.

On the PGA Tour, the largest prize of €2m went to Rory McIlroy at The Players Championship in March.

In terms of prize money alone, The Open has come a long way since it was last held at Portrush.

The total prize fund back in 1951 was £1,700, with winner Max Faulkner pocketing the grand sum of £300.

This year, even the player who finishes in 70th place will earn something in the region of £19,500.

Prize-money will only be allocated to professionals, so should newly-crowned Amateur champion James Sugrue make the cut, he will have to forego any of his hard-earned winnings.

Confirming the prize fund, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “The Open is a global sporting event and our priority is to ensure that this is reflected in the prize fund. We have a long-term strategy to ensure The Open remains at the forefront of golf and maintains its unique allure in sporting terms.”