Would you want to win the Claret Jug… without the prize money?
Paul Casey made no bones about his dream of winning The Open one day, even if there was no prize money involved. But could the same be said for other players? Could the same be said for yourself?
Many golfers up and down the country, in any country, dream of playing in The Open.
Lifting the Claret Jug is one of the sport’s great privileges, but would you be happy to become the Champion Golfer of the Year if it meant banking no prize money?
This is a no-brainer to me, and probably to many. But considering golf’s spiral into an obsession with money, dollar bills have become more persuasive than ever.
Some players who moved to LIV Golf, the sport’s Saudi-funded breakaway league, admitted the inviting financial offers were the reason for their decision to sign up.
LIV player, and former PGA Tour and DP World Tour star, Paul Casey told the ‘Are You Not Entertained?’ podcast that he was burned out by the time he decided to join the rebel tour.
He also spoke about the Ryder Cup, an event where there is no prize money and where no players are paid but where passion equally doesn’t dwindle. The Englishman then applied the same concept to golf’s oldest major.
“It’s interesting that that’s the one event where nobody gets paid and we never even question about it,” Casey said.
“We want to get our expenses, trust me, there’s been a couple of guys, you know, the fly-in on the private jet and we want to get the expenses paid for and all the part of it.
“But there’s never been a question on our team of, ‘What’s in it for me?’ We’re there to win a Ryder Cup. You’re proud to put the sweater on, we all know that the Ryder Cup in Europe in a home Ryder Cup pays for the following three years on the DP World Tour, we’re fully aware of that, we know the economics, it’s quite scary really, but it’s never been a question.
“Maybe there are some other events, maybe The Open is another one, would you happily take Claret Jug and no prize money? Damn right.”
The Open Championship prize money: Would you give up millions if it meant winning the Claret Jug?
Casey came tied for third at The Open in 2010 at St Andrews and tied for seventh in 2008 at Royal Birkdale.
There has never been a better time to win The Open from a financial perspective. Brian Harman won $3 million at the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool last summer.
This is $1 million short of the individual winner’s prize on offer at each LIV Golf event. The LIV Golf League was born in 2022 and has lured many of the game’s biggest stars with seven, eight or nine-figure fees in some cases.
Its riches are provided by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the circuit’s financial power has stimulated the PGA Tour to form a series of raised purse events in each of the last two seasons. In 2024, they are called Signature Events. There are eight of them and each carries a purse of $20 million.
So do you think players would be content with winning The Open, or a major, if no prize money was attached? Would you be happy with winning The Open but being denied the $3 million cheque?
Paul Casey, The Open and prize money. What do you make of it all? Tell NCG on X!
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
