It takes both hands to lift it. Twenty-seven pounds of history, silver, and sweat. When Scottie Scheffler raised the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening at Quail Hollow, he did more than claim a title—he accepted a moment that reaches beyond prize money and leaderboard points. But for all the symbolism wrapped in that embrace, the PGA Championship victory does come with tangible rewards. Some you can spend. Others, you carry. And a few—like lifetime entry into golf’s most sacred weeks—you simply earn. So what does winning the PGA Championship mean, beyond the applause? Everything, really. And just a little bit more.
A Trophy You Don’t Keep, But Never Forget
The Wanamaker Trophy isn’t just the largest of golf’s major championship trophies—it may be its most symbolic.
At 28 inches tall and 27 pounds, it’s a piece of silver that demands respect. But the winner doesn’t get to keep it—at least not permanently. Instead, Scottie Scheffler, like every champion before him, will receive a slightly smaller replica to hold onto. The original remains with the PGA of America, resting in its own kind of hallowed ground.
Bennett Scheffler’s first major championship 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wG5jZYhYAf
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2025
Still, in the moment—on the 18th green, flashbulbs popping, hands shaking—that distinction barely matters. The trophy, like the title, is his. Forever.
It’s a symbol of mastery across four days of pressure, precision, and poise. And for Scheffler, now a three-time major champion, it stands as the first major victory outside of Augusta National. A new chapter. A new silhouette to place beside green jackets and memories already made.
You don’t need to keep the original trophy when the world remembers your name engraved on it. In golf, that’s immortality. And on Sunday, Scheffler earned his space on silver once more.
Millions Earned, But Legacy Always Matters More
The numbers are impressive. This year’s PGA Championship carried a record-setting $19 million purse. The winner’s share? $3.42 million.
Scottie Scheffler won it all.
But when asked what mattered most, it wasn’t the check—it was the calm. The composure. The clarity it took to rally and win, even after nearly surrendering a five-shot lead. The money may follow you, but the moment defines you.
Scottie Scheffler increased his career winnings to $81.9 million with his PGA Championship victory.
His earnings in 2025 already sit at $10.1 million.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 19, 2025
Still, for the sake of history: that payday vaults Scheffler further into golf’s elite financial tier. He also earns 750 FedExCup points, which will carry significant weight as the season pushes toward its finale.
There’s more than cash in a win like this. There’s Ryder Cup impact. Every $1,000 earned translates to 1.5 Ryder Cup points—a metric that may feel mechanical but carries the emotional weight of representing your country.
And yet, all of it circles back to one truth: while the money glistens, it’s the major title that endures. Years from now, fans won’t quote the purse—they’ll recall the swing on 17, the trophy lift, the tears behind sunglasses.
And that, always, is what stays.
The Real Prize: Entry Into Golf’s Inner Circle
With the win, Scottie Scheffler didn’t just earn a check or a trophy. He stepped deeper into golf’s rarest company.
The exemptions tell the story.
A lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship—no matter what else unfolds in his career, this tournament will always welcome him. A seat always saved. A walk always waiting.
A five-year exemption into each of the other majors—the Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship—as well as The Players Championship, the crown jewel of the PGA Tour’s regular season. No qualifying. No questions. Just presence.
Scheffler also secures five more years of PGA Tour membership and seven years on the DP World Tour, expanding both his global footprint and his schedule flexibility.
Last 6 major champions:
2024 Masters: Scottie Scheffler 2024 PGA: Xander Schauffele 2024 US Open: Bryson DeChambeau 2024 Open: Xander Schauffele 2025 Masters: Rory McIlory (completing the slam) 2025 PGA: Scottie Scheffler
Golf is on a hot streak! 🔥
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) May 18, 2025
These are not just logistics—they are invitations. They allow a player to plan, to breathe, to compete with the assurance that the road ahead is paved by the past.
For a golfer already at the pinnacle, these perks may feel procedural. But for those chasing the game’s highest honors, they represent the ultimate reward: freedom to choose your path, because you’ve earned your place.
