How Much Money Does the Masters Winner Get?
But how much money does the Masters champion make? What is the first-place payout at The Masters, and how has that first-place money changed over the years?
First-Place Prize Money Milestones at The Masters
- How much did the first Masters champion win? Horton Smith earned $1,500 for his victory in the inaugural, 1934 Masters. The first-place payout remained $1,500 for 12 years, until after World War II.
- First to earn $5,000 for winning: The first golfer to earn at least $5k for winning The Masters was Ben Hogan in 1954.
- First to win $10,000: Arnold Palmer in the 1958 Masters. His first-place check was $11,250.
- First to win $50,000: Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
- First to win $100,000: Ben Crenshaw, 1984. (His first-place check was $108,000.)
- First to win $500,000: Mark O'Meara, 1998. (His first-place check was $576,000.)
- First to win $1 million: Tiger Woods ($1,008,000) in the 2001 Masters.
- First to earn $2 million: Tiger Woods ($2,070,000) in 2019.
- First to earn $3 million: Jon Rahm ($3,240,000) in 2023.
All First-Place Payouts at The Masters
(Related: List of all Masters champions and winning scores)
2023 — $3,240,000
2022 — $2,700,000
2021 — $2,070,000
2020 — $2,070,000
2019 — $2,070,000
2018 — $1,980,000
2017 — $1,980,000
2016 — $1,800,000
2015 — $1,800,000
2014 — $1,620,000
2013 — $1,440,000
2012 — $1,440,000
2011 — $1,440,000
2010 — $1,350,000
2009 — $1,350,000
2008 — $1,350,000
2007 — $1,305,000
2006 — $1,260,000
2005 — $1,260,000
2004 — $1,117,000
2003 — $1,080,000
2002 — $1,008,000
2001 — $1,008,000
2000 — $828,000
1999 — $720,000
1998 — $576,000
1997 — $486,000
1996 — $450,000
1995 — $396,000
1994 — $360,000
1993 — $306,000
1992 — $270,000
1991 — $243,000
1990 — $225,000
1989 — $200,000
1988 — $183,800
1987 — $162,000
1986 — $144,000
1985 — $126,000
1984 — $108,000
1983 — $90,000
1982 — $64,000
1981 — $60,000
1980 — $55,000
1979 — $50,000
1978 — $45,000
1977 — $40,000
1976 — $40,000
1975 — $40,000
1974 — $35,000
1973 — $30,000
1972 — $25,000
1971 — $25,000
1970 — $25,000
1969 — $20,000
1968 — $20,000
1967 — $20,000
1966 — $20,000
1965 — $20,000
1964 — $20,000
1963 — $20,000
1962 — $20,000
1961 — $20,000
1960 — $17,500
1959 — $15,000
1958 — $11,250
1957 — $8,750
1956 — $6,000
1955 — $5,000
1954 — $5,000
1953 — $4,000
1952 — $4,000
1951 — $3,000
1950 — $2,400
1949 — $2,750
1948 — $2,500
1947 — $2,500
1946 — $2,500
1943–45: Not played
1942 — $1,500
1941 — $1,500
1940 — $1,500
1939 — $1,500
1938 — $1,500
1937 — $1,500
1936 — $1,500
1935 — $1,500
1934 — $1,500
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