US Open prize money 2018: How much can players win at golf’s richest event?

The most lucrative prize in golf is up for grabs this weekend at the US Open, hosted at Shinnecock Hills for the first time in 14 years.

Despite organisers the United States Golf Association (USGA) not increasing its prize money pot of $12m this year, the US Open has retained its status as the richest tournament in golf — a mantle it took from the Players Championship last year when it boosted its total offering by $2m.

This years winner stands to earn an unrivalled pay cheque worth $2.2m — the same bounty pocketed by reigning champion Brooks Koepka last year.

In a sign of the sports growth in prize money, thats exactly double what Retief Goosen earned for triumphing the last time the US Open came to New Yorks Shinnecock Hills.

Read more: The Players Championship boosts its prize pot to a record level

The Players Championship, once dubbed the "fifth Major" due to its renowned paydays, and the PGA Championship had until 2017 been the richest tournaments in golf with prize funds of $10.5m and winner's prizes of $1.89m.

Earlier this year the Players Championship increased its prize money pot but only to $11m meaning winner Webb Simpson still earned $300,000 less than this weekend's US Open champion will pocket.

Ahead of this year's tournament 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed had earned more prize money than any other player, having scooped up a total of $6.6m with PGA Tour and European Tour earnings combined.

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