ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Georgia (AP) The PGA Championship and The Players Championship will share the distinction of having golf's richest tournament next year by offering $10 million in prize money.
In a new spirit of cooperation, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and PGA of America President Ted Bishop announced the purse increases Wednesday. That marks a 25 percent increase for the PGA Championship, making its purse the largest of the four majors. It was $8 million this year.
The Players Championship for years had the largest purse $9.5 million this year.
The announcement at Sea Island was part of a new collaboration between two groups that once were part of the same organization. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were largely responsible in 1968 for tournament players breaking away from the PGA of America because they felt it was more concerned with the club pro business.
Finchem said the idea was for them to work together toward a common goal of growing the game.