LIV Golf is set to increase its weekly tournament prize purse from $25 million to $30 million beginning in 2026, according to Sports Business Journal. This new payout structure allocates $20 million to individual stroke-play championships, maintaining the same amount as in 2025, while doubling the team competition purse to $10 million from this season’s $5 million.

This significant increase positions LIV Golf ahead of traditional events, as the PGA Tour’s largest single-event purse caps at $20 million, and The Players Championship offers $25 million. LIV’s aggressive financial approach highlights its ongoing challenge to the established golf landscape.

Enhancing Team Competition with New Incentives

The increased prize money is designed to strengthen the appeal of LIV’s team competitions. Previously, the $5 million pool was shared only among the top three teams, but the expanded $10 million fund will now distribute payouts among all 13 franchises based on their standings. This marks an unusual step toward payout equality and offers teams like the Cleeks, Iron Heads, HyFlyers, and Majesticks a fairer chance to earn revenue despite their past struggles to secure earnings.

Beyond the payout distribution, this also represents a shift in LIV’s operational framework. With early, substantial sign-on bonuses declining, team captains are expected to take on more responsibility for recruiting players and managing commercial deals. The larger prize pool serves as a financial resource supporting these efforts, encouraging captains and teams to invest more deeply in their rosters and infrastructure.

LIV’s Competitive Strategy and Market Position

By offering prize money that surpasses PGA Tour events, LIV Golf solidifies its stance as a significant financial competitor in professional golf. This increase could trigger a surge in player movement toward LIV or attract emerging talent eager for higher rewards. Boosting prize money is likely to enhance the league’s talent pool and competitive depth.

Despite these advancements, LIV Golf faces persistent criticism regarding its Saudi-backed funding model, which some human rights critics and media observers label as sports washing. The involvement of the Public Investment Fund, linked to international controversies, continues to shadow LIV’s public perception. Nonetheless, the commitment to larger purses reflects sustained financial support and LIV’s ambitious vision for the sport.

How LIV’s Purses Compare to the PGA Tour

LIV Golf’s weekly $30 million prize now exceeds the purse size offered at nearly all PGA Tour events. In contrast, PGA’s 2025 marquee events feature purses around $20 million, with The Players Championship standing as the richest at $25 million, awarding $4.5 million to the winner.

Even golf’s major championships offer less lucrative prizes than LIV’s planned payouts:

• Masters Tournament: $21 million total purse with $4.2 million to the champion
• U.S. Open: $21.5 million overall, awarding $4.3 million to the winner
• PGA Championship: $19 million purse, with $3.42 million going to the winner

Outside of these signature and major events, typical PGA Tour tournaments average purses below $10 million. For example, the 3M Open featured an $8.4 million purse, with $1.512 million awarded to the winner—noticeably lower than LIV’s weekly standard prize offerings.

The Broader Impact on Teams, Fans, and Media

LIV Golf’s rise in prize money is not only about payouts but also about reshaping the competitive environment. The new team payout structure provides previously underfunded franchises with more substantial financial backing, allowing them to invest in talent development, training facilities, and performance analytics. This could lead to increased team competitiveness and market growth.

For spectators, this shift promises more compelling competition, as a wider range of teams will contend for meaningful rewards, likely intensifying the action in the final rounds. Additionally, the expansion of prize funds combined with fan festivals and entertainment offerings enhances the overall spectator experience. This approach strengthens LIV’s appeal to broadcasters and sponsors as it extends its global audience reach.