As the 148th Open Championship draws to a close, the lucrative pot of prize money that awaits the Claret Jug winner, Shane Lowry, at Royal Portrush will be a welcome bonus on his first major of the year.
Ireland's Lowry secured an emphatic six-shot victory, the biggest winning margin for nine years, to claim his maiden major on home soil, with a partisan crowd roaring him home from the very first tee.
But on top of the Claret Jug and the honour of joining the two exclusive clubs of major and Open winners, the Lowry family will have just become a whole lot richer.
How much does the winner claim?
This year’s prize pot has been increased by £200,000 to £8.65m, with the winner taking home the standard 18 per cent share meaning Shane Lowry takes home a whopping £1.56m.
By contrast, when The Open was last held at Portrush 68 years ago, winner Max Faulkner pocketed a £300 share of the £1,700 kitty.
This week, even the player who finishes in 70th place will earn something in the region of £19,500.
After the boost to this year’s prize fund was confirmed, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “The Open is a global sporting event and our priority is to ensure that this is reflected in the prize fund.
“We have a long-term strategy to ensure The Open remains at the forefront of golf and maintains its unique allure in sporting terms.”
Lowry took a four-shot lead into the final day after his stunning eight-under-par 63 broke the course record on the new Dunluce Links on Saturday, with Tommy Fleetwood his closest rival.
But Fleetwood had no answer to challenge Lowry, and the lead was stretched to six shots as Lowry powered to victory, celebrating his way down the 18th in front of a ferocious support.
