Record $ 1.8 m prize money on offer for British Open winner

Friday, 26 June 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

This year’s British Open winner will collect a record 1.15 million pounds ($ 1.81 million) in prize money, organisers said on Wednesday.

The purse is 175,000 pounds up on last year’s tournament, won by Rory McIlroy, with the overall prize fund rising to 6.3 million pounds, up 900,000 on 2014.

The runner-up will pocket 653,000 pounds with the third-place finisher taking home 420,000 pounds.

Announcing the bumper pot, Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal & Ancient (R&A), said: “The Open is one of the world’s pre-eminent sporting events. The Championship represents the pinnacle for the world’s greatest golfers and this increase is appropriate for an event with The Open’s global appeal.”

This year’s championship, the 144th, will be played at St Andrews in Scotland from 16-19 July.