The R&A announced on Wednesday that the winner of this year's British Open Championship will get an unprecedented prize of $3 million.
This remarkable sum represents the largest reward ever offered in the history of the tournament, reflecting an impressive 18% surge compared to the previous year when Australian golfer Cameron Smith emerged victorious.
"Our aim is to ensure The Open remains at the pinnacle of world golf and we have almost doubled the prize fund since 2016," the CEO of R&A Martin Slumbers said in a statement.
"While we are seeing substantial increases in prize money across the men's professional game, we are fulfilling our wider obligation to the sport by elevating the AIG Women's Open, strengthening pathways in the elite amateur game and encouraging more people around the world to play golf.
"We believe that getting this balance right is vital to the long-term future of the sport."
In an exciting development, the sport's oldest championship has unveiled an additional incentive for its participants. The prize fund will receive a further boost if over 70 professional golfers successfully qualify for the final two rounds.
This progressive move aims to enhance the competitiveness and prestige of the championship even more.
The upcoming edition of the tournament, the 151st in its storied history, will be held at the esteemed Royal Liverpool from July 16-23.
Golf enthusiasts and fans worldwide eagerly anticipate witnessing the captivating battles that will unfold on this renowned course during the highly anticipated event.
(With Reuters inputs)
