US Open Golf Prize Money 2015: Latest Predictions for Top Projected Earners
The US Open became the joint-richest competition on the golf calendar ahead of 2015’s tournament, as the USGA increased the prize money purse from $9 million to $10 million—thus matching the Masters, the Players Championship and the PGA Championship.
Major glory is undoubtedly the biggest motive for those in action at the treacherous Chambers Bay this week, but a payout just shy of $2 million for the winner isn’t a bad cherry to go on top of the cake.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The front-runner for the riches after two days of competition in Washington is Jordan Spieth, who picked up a $1.8 million winner’s cheque for his outstanding victory at the Masters in April.
Spieth shares the halfway lead at five under par with compatriot and Ryder Cup team-mate Patrick Reed, as we see below on our live leaderboard:
Can Spieth and Reed Stay the Course?
Leading the US Open after Friday’s play is never a bad thing in any player’s bid to take home the big-money prize, but such is the nature of the unforgiving Chambers Bay course that anything can happen.
Reed, for example, carded just six pars during his Round 2 69, and it’s safe to say that he could well have been staring at a total in the mid-70s had things not quite gone his way.
As it was, though, the American ground out his score brilliantly—and that’s the kind of grit that a US Open champion needs.
His bunker shot on the 16th summed that up, as he stiffed his recovery in style—per USGA:
Reed is known for being extremely confident in his own ability—if a little too confident—and he’ll undoubtedly be sticking to his policy of flag hunting over the weekend.
Spieth, meanwhile, is looking a red-hot favourite to take home the winner’s cheque after a superb round of 67—although it could have been even better.
The 21-year-old carded a double bogey on the controversial 514-yard par-four 18th hole and criticised its setup after his round—via Sky Sports:
"I think 18 as a par four doesn't make much sense. Of course at the moment when I didn't hit the right shots it's going to make less sense. All in all I thought it was a dumb hole today, but I think we're going to play it from there again, so I've got to get over that."
Despite his 18th-hole woes, Spieth is still in a healthy position heading into the weekend, and he added that he needs to continue to be patient: "I know that it's going to get tougher and tougher now that Saturday and Sunday hits. So I'll draw some on Augusta, but at the same time my patience level has to be even that much higher. I'm not quite putting myself in the same positions off the tee, so I've got to be a little more methodical."
The American owed much of his win at the Masters to his putting ability, and he once again showed that he’s one of the best in the business with the flat stick on Friday—ESPN’s Jason Sobel labelled him the greatest recovery putter of them all:
Par putts will prove hugely important as the weekend rolls around, and if Spieth can continue to produce the goods on the greens, he may be a lot richer come Sunday afternoon.
That much crossed coach Butch Harmon’s mind during Friday’s play, as he cheekily commented on Spieth’s potential wealth on Sky Sports—via Phil Casey of the Press Association:
Such is the purse of this year’s tournament that any player who finishes in the top 10 will enjoy a healthy payday, and it’s safe to say that it’s very much all to play for on that front.
Phil Mickelson—chasing a career grand slam—will undoubtedly mount a charge toward the top of the leaderboard over the coming days, but as he’s eight shots behind the leaders, it may not be enough to win.
Dustin Johnson and Jason Day are forging reputations as consistent major challengers, and as they sit on four and two under respectively, top-10 finishes are very much on the cards.
It’s all going to be about who claims the top prize, however, and although Chambers Bay is a gruelling test, Spieth and Reed may just have what it takes to tame the beast.
When the duo lined up for the US in last year’s Ryder Cup, the world agreed that we had two future major champions on our hands.
One has already been crowned—will he do it again, or is it Reed’s turn?
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
