>during a practice round prior to the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)” src=”https://media.bleacherreport.com/image/upload/x_7,y_3,w_1792,h_1192,c_crop/w_40,h_27,c_fill/v1686768622/hvkoenkxa11ijsdgr0yc.jpg” itemprop=”contentUrl”>
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
USGA CEO Mike Whan confirmed Wednesday that the organization will dole out the biggest purse in U.S. Open history this year.
Whan said $20 million in total will be distributed, with $3.6 million handed to the winner of the tournament. Both are increases over the 2022 U.S. Open, which saw a total purse of $17.5 million, while Matt Fitzpatrick collected $3.15 as the champion.
The emergence of LIV Golf was the rising tide that lifted all boats.
The threat posed to the PGA Tour led to a number of changes to the tour, including higher purses for its biggest events. While the PGA Tour doesn’t run the four major championships, those tournaments saw accompanying bumps.
The money will presumably continue to flow following the PGA Tour’s proposed merger with LIV Golf. There are a lot of specifics to work out, and the deal could face regulatory scrutiny. But the sport’s financial health has never been stronger.
The U.S. Open tees off Thursday at Los Angeles Country Club, which is the first time that the course has hosted a major tournament.
Scottie Scheffler enters as the betting favorite (+600) at DraftKings Sportsbook. The 26-year-old has two wins this season and has reeled off four straight top-five finishes.
Jon Rahm (+900) is next on the list, and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka has the third-best odds (+1200) in the field.
For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.
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