The LIV Golf Houston event, scheduled from June 7 to 9, features a hefty purse of $22 million, with the winner taking home $4 million. In contrast, the PGA Memorial Tournament, which starts one day prior and lasts the same time, offers a total purse of $20 million, with the winner earning $3.6 million.
The Houston tournament will be the first of two LIV Golf events within three weeks, with the PGA's US Open in between. The event is a historic first for LIV Golf, debuting in Texas. The state will also host the season-ending Team Championship at LIV Golf Dallas from September 20-22. The Golf Club of Houston, the chosen venue for the tournament, has a rich history of hosting the Houston Open from 2003 to 2019.
The Houston course has been the scene of triumphs for some of the current LIV Golf players. Paul Casey won in 2009, Anthony Kim in 2010, Phil Mickelson in 2011, Matt Jones in 2014, and Ian Poulter in 2018. These former champions will aim to use their familiarity with the venue to vie for another title in Houston.
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The alternate Saudi-backed golf league continues to lure athletes with lucrative paydays funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. The financial backing has allowed LIV Golf to challenge and disrupt the traditional norms and standards set by the PGA Tour.
With vast financial resources at its disposal, LIV Golf has managed to attract some of the world 's top players like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, despite them having to sacrifice the ability to earn world ranking points. This follows the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) decision to exclude LIV Golf players from its rankings, emphasizing the league's controversial yet impactful presence in the sport.
In 2024, LIV Golf has consistently offered a total prize of $20 million for each event, with the winner pocketing $4 million. This aggressive financial strategy is in stark contrast to the varying purses of PGA Tour events.
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While some PGA Tour events offer comparable or even higher total prize money, the distribution often favors more participants than the top finishers. For instance, the 2024 PGA Championship had a total purse of $17.5 million, with the winner earning $3.15 million.
Overall, the PGA Tour is set to distribute nearly $400 million in official prize money throughout the 2024 season. The substantial figure, larger than in years past, highlights the tour's ongoing financial clout and commitment to rewarding performance and loyalty to legacy and emerging players who benefit from the sport's growing popularity and profitability.