Open prize pot to be record $10.5 million

Next week's 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie will boast a record prize fund for the event of $10.5 million '“ an increase of almost $250,000 from last year.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers. Picture R&A

The winner will pick up $1.89 million, the runner-up will walk away with $1.09 million and anyone making the cut will pocket a minimum of $13,500.

“The prize fund reflects The Open’s position as one of the world’s great sporting events,” said Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive, “and we look forward to seeing the best players in the sport competing for the Claret Jug at Carnoustie.”

Despite this latest increase, the Open Championship still trails the US Open ($12m) and the Masters ($11m) in terms of the purse.

Meanwhile, all five current women’s major champions are heading to Gullane in a fortnight’s time for the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open. The star-studded cast for the event’s first visit to the East Lothian course was completed after Sung Hyun Park, recent winner of the KPMG PGA Championship, added her name to the field.

The world No 2 – she’s set to be the highest-ranked player in the line up – joins Pernilla Lindberg (ANA Inspiration), Ariya Jutanugarn (US Women’s Open), IK Kim (Ricoh Women’s British Open) and Anna Nordqvist (Evian Championship) as current major champions heading to Scotland’s Golf Coast.

Elsewhere, Andrew McKinlay has made his first appointments since taking over as Scottish Golf’s chief executive, including two key performance posts.

Clare Queen, a former LET player, is the governing body’s new performance director, with Gillian Paton becoming performance manager, while Karin Sharp is promoted from corporate services director to chief operating officer.