US Open Golf Purse 2018: Prize-Money Payout for Top Players on Final Leaderboard

Brooks Koepka proved he could stand up to the pressure of competing in the U.S. Open in 2017 and win that event.

He proved he was good enough to do it again in 2018, as he survived the brutal test that was Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, and won his second consecutive U.S. Open.

The 28-year-old Koepka shot a two-under-par 68 and finished the tournament with a one-over 281, as he got the best of playing partner Dustin Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood and Tony Finau.

Koepka became the first back-to-back U.S. Open champion, matching Curtis Strange (1988-89), the last man to do it. The other golfers who earned consecutive U.S. Open titles include Willie Anderson (1903-05), John McDermott (1911-12), Bobby Jones (1929-30), Ralph Guldahl (1937-38) and Ben Hogan (1950-51).

Koepka said his determination never waned, even when he was down by seven strokes midway through the second round.

"I just kept grinding and I always felt I had a chance," Koepka said when he was interviewed after receiving the Jack Nicklaus medal and the championship trophy during the Fox broadcast. "I was hitting the ball well and I was putting the ball well, but I just had to keep going. Once I made a few birdies, I knew I had a chance to get back in it and show what I could do."

Not only did Koepka earn the hardware that goes to the winner, he earned a huge payday. The U.S. Open offers a $12 million payout in prize money, and Koepka earned the winner's share of $2.16 million.

Here's how the payoffs break down for the top 10 golfers in the U.S. Open.

Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

Top-10 Payout Breakdown (ties included, per ESPN.com)

1. Brooks Koepka, $2,160,000
2. Tommy Fleetwood, $1,296,000
3. Dustin Johnson, $812,927
4. Patrick Reed, $569,884
5. Tony Finau, $474,659
6. Xander Schauffele, $361,923
6. Tyrrell Hatton, $361,923
6. Henrik Stenson, $361,923
6. Daniel Berger, $361,923
10. Webb Simpson, $270,151
10. Justin Rose, $270,151

Here's a look at the final leaderboard, per PGATour.com.

Koepka and Johnson both hit the ball quite well from tee to green for the majority of Sunday's round, but the difference in the final round was that Koepka made a slew of important putts down the stretch, while Johnson missed quite a few putts that he made with regularity in the first two rounds when he built a four-stroke lead.

Koepka gained 4.08 strokes per round over the final 36 holes with his putting, while Johnson had a minus-6.44 strokes gained over the same time frame, per Golf Channel analyst Justin Ray.

Koepka had to hold off Fleetwood, who started much earlier in the day and shot a U.S. Open-record-tying 63. He had a sensational final round, and he reached the seven-under mark after his birdie on the 15th hole. He had legitimate birdie opportunities on the final three holes, but he was unable to drop any of those putts.

"I was really happy with the way I played," Fleetwood explained during his post-round interview on Fox. "I am happy to have shot 63, but I really wanted a 62. That would make me feel a lot better."

If Fleetwood had made his six-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, he would have shot a 62, and the additional pressure might have earned him a victory or at least a tie.

Fleetwood's 63 came 45 years after Johnny Miller shot 63 in the final round to win the 1973 U.S. Open.

Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

Reed got off to a hot start and put pressure on Koepka during the front nine. The Masters champion birdied five of the first seven holes and moved into a temporary tie for the lead.

When it looked like Reed would stay with Koepka, he bogeyed the ninth, 11th and 12th holes, and that gave Koepka some breathing room.

Koepka put his power on display throughout all four rounds. However, it was his poise and ability to make clutch putts that earned him his second consecutive U.S. Open.