Memorial Tournament prize money history
Winning the Memorial Tournament paid $342,000 in 1997, which is $713,789 at August 2026 prices. In 2026 it paid $4,000,000. On the face of the cheque that is 11.70 times as much. In real terms it is 5.66 times as much, 6.2% a year after inflation.
Every Memorial Tournament winner's cheque, then and now
Newest first. Today's money is at August 2026 prices.
| YEAR | WINNER | PAID | TODAY | $1 THEN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | J.T. Poston | $4,000,000$4.0m | $4,040,102$4.0m | $1.01 |
| 2025 | Scottie Scheffler | $4,000,000$4.0m | $4,161,979$4.2m | $1.04 |
| 2024 | Scottie Scheffler | $4,000,000$4.0m | $4,271,492$4.3m | $1.07 |
| 2023 | Viktor Hovland | $3,600,000$3.6m | $3,957,729$4.0m | $1.10 |
| 2022 | Billy Horschel | $2,160,000$2.2m | $2,472,388$2.5m | $1.14 |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay | $1,674,000$1.7m | $2,069,441$2.1m | $1.24 |
| 2020 | Jon Rahm | $1,674,000$1.7m | $2,166,664$2.2m | $1.29 |
| 2019 | Patrick Cantlay | $1,638,000$1.6m | $2,146,224$2.1m | $1.31 |
| 2018 | Bryson DeChambeau | $1,602,000$1.6m | $2,137,089$2.1m | $1.33 |
| 2017 | Jason Dufner | $1,566,000$1.6m | $2,140,089$2.1m | $1.37 |
| 2016 | William McGirt | $1,530,000$1.5m | $2,135,435$2.1m | $1.40 |
| 2015 | David Lingmerth | $1,116,000 | $1,577,261$1.6m | $1.41 |
| 2014 | Hideki Matsuyama | $1,116,000 | $1,579,133$1.6m | $1.41 |
| 2013 | Matt Kuchar | $1,116,000 | $1,604,750$1.6m | $1.44 |
| 2012 | Tiger Woods | $1,116,000 | $1,628,255$1.6m | $1.46 |
| 2011 | Steve Stricker | $1,116,000 | $1,661,951$1.7m | $1.49 |
| 2010 | Justin Rose | $1,080,000 | $1,659,108$1.7m | $1.54 |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods | $1,080,000 | $1,686,322$1.7m | $1.56 |
| 2007 | K.J. Choi | $1,080,000 | $1,744,839$1.7m | $1.62 |
| 2006 | Carl Pettersson | $1,035,000 | $1,719,763$1.7m | $1.66 |
| 2004 | Ernie Els | $945,000 | $1,675,787$1.7m | $1.77 |
| 2002 | Jim Furyk | $810,000 | $1,508,248$1.5m | $1.86 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | $738,000 | $1,395,908$1.4m | $1.89 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | $558,000 | $1,085,475 | $1.95 |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | $459,000 | $922,904 | $2.01 |
| 1998 | Fred Couples | $396,000 | $813,816 | $2.06 |
| 1997 | Vijay Singh | $342,000 | $713,789 | $2.09 |
Today's money restates each cheque for the rise in US consumer prices from the year it was paid to August 2026. The last column is what one dollar that year buys today.
What winning it paid, at today's prices
The champion's cheque at August 2026 prices, 2006 to 2026
The biggest in real terms is 2024, not 2026: Scottie Scheffler's cheque is worth more today than the newest one.
What winning it paid, on the cheque
The champion's cheque as paid, 2006 to 2026
On the cheque the 1997 to 2026 rise is 11.70 times, 8.9% a year. Prices rose 2.07 times over the same run, which is the gap between this chart and the one above.
Against the rest of the tour
Real growth a year in the winner's cheque, the events either side of this one
| # | TOURNAMENT | SINCE | A YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kemper Open | 1997 | +13.4% |
| 2 | The International | 1997 | +11.7% |
| 3 | Doral-Ryder Open | 1998 | +10.5% |
| 4 | BellSouth Classic | 1998 | +8.7% |
| 5 | TOUR Championship | 2004 | +8.4% |
| 6 | Buick Open | 1997 | +8.1% |
| 7 | Butterfield Bermuda Championship | 2019 | +8.0% |
| 8 | Arnold Palmer Invitational | 1996 | +7.5% |
| 0 | Memorial Tournament | 1997 | +6.2% |
| 10 | RBC Heritage | 1998 | +6.0% |
| 11 | BMW Championship | 1996 | +5.6% |
| 12 | U.S. Open | 1997 | +5.5% |
| 13 | The Open Championship | 1996 | +5.4% |
| 14 | The Genesis Invitational | 1999 | +5.3% |
| 15 | Travelers Championship | 2001 | +5.1% |
| 16 | AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | 1998 | +5.0% |
| 17 | FedEx St. Jude Championship | 2001 | +4.9% |
| 18 | PGA Championship | 1997 | +4.7% |
| 19 | Farmers Insurance Open | 1996 | +4.5% |
| 20 | Masters Tournament | 1999 | +4.3% |
| 21 | WM Phoenix Open | 1996 | +4.3% |
| 22 | THE PLAYERS Championship | 1996 | +4.1% |
| 23 | The Sentry | 2005 | +3.7% |
Each rate runs from the first winner's cheque we hold at that event to the most recent, so two events that start in different years are measured over different runs. The Memorial Tournament is 9th of 62.
Frequently asked questions
How much did the Memorial Tournament winner get in 1997?
Vijay Singh took $342,000. At August 2026 prices that is $713,789.
Has Memorial Tournament prize money kept up with inflation?
Yes. The winner's cheque grew 8.9% a year between 1997 and 2026 and prices rose less than that, so in real terms it grew 6.2% a year. That is 9th of the 62 tournaments we hold a run for.
When did winning the Memorial Tournament pay the most in today's money?
2024, when Scottie Scheffler took $4,000,000. At August 2026 prices that is $4,271,492, more than the $4,040,102 the 2026 win is worth at the same prices.
How does the Memorial Tournament winner's cheque compare with twenty years ago?
2006's cheque was $1,035,000, or $1,719,763 at August 2026 prices. 2026's was $4,000,000, 2.35 times as much in real terms.
Where to next
The rest of the Memorial Tournament money
Memorial Tournament prize money carries every champion, the Memorial Tournament all-time earners ranks every golfer it has paid, and the Memorial Tournament cut counts who made it each year.