The Masters Tournament is reaching its final moments, and the fight is not just for the green jacket but also for a huge payday. On Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club, the leaderboard stayed tight, which means even one shot can change millions of dollars. The total prize money for 2026 has gone up again, making this one of the richest Masters ever.
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler battle on Masters Sunday as leaderboard stays tight
Rory McIlroy started the day tied for the lead at 11-under, but things did not stay smooth. A double bogey on hole no. 4 and a bogey on No. 6 pushed him back. His round had ups and downs, and he slipped from the top spot.At the same time, Justin Rose kept his rhythm going. After a strong third round, he carried that form into Sunday and moved ahead on the leaderboard. He looked calm and steady as he chased another green jacket.Close behind, Scottie Scheffler stayed in the mix. A solid front nine with a 2-under score kept him within reach. With players like Cameron Young, Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley also near the top, the gap remained very small.This tight leaderboard means every putt matters. A single mistake or a great shot can change both position and prize money.
Masters 2026 prize money explained as winner payout reaches $4.5 million and total purse hits $22.5 million
The total purse for the 2026 Masters is $22.5 million, which is $1.5 million more than last year. This increase shows how big the event has become.Here’s how the top payouts look:
- Winner: $4.5 million
- 2nd place: $2.43 million
- 3rd place: $1.53 million
- 4th place: $1.08 million
- 5th place: $900,000
Even players lower on the list earn strong payouts. For example:
- 10th place: $607,500
- 25th place: $198,000
- 50th place: $56,700
Players who missed the cut still receive $25,000 just for taking part. This includes names like Bryson DeChambeau and Robert MacIntyre.The winner’s $4.5 million prize is also higher than last year. In 2025, Rory McIlroy earned $4.2 million for his win.Here’s how winner payouts have grown in recent years:
- 2020: $1.8 million — Dustin Johnson
- 2021: $2.07 million — Hideki Matsuyama
- 2022: $2.7 million — Scottie Scheffler
- 2023: $3.24 million — Jon Rahm
- 2024: $3.6 million — Scottie Scheffler
- 2025: $4.2 million — Rory McIlroy
The steady rise shows how much the stakes have increased at Augusta.