The U.S. Open may be one of golf's most prestigious events, but when it comes to prize money, it's currently trailing behind the Masters—and that's perfectly fine with USGA CEO Mike Whan. Speaking at the U.S. Open media day in Southampton, New York, Whan made it clear that while the tournament's purse for 2025 remains undecided, there's no pressure to engage in a financial arms race with Augusta National.

This year, the Masters raised the bar by increasing its purse to a record $22.5 million, up $1.5 million from the previous year. That hefty sum included a $4.5 million winner's check for champion Rory McIlroy, also a record for a men's major. In contrast, the U.S. Open held steady at $21.5 million in 2024—the same figure as 2023—marking the first time since 2021 that the tournament didn't see a year-over-year increase. J.J. Spaun took home $4.3 million for his victory.

Whan, who took the helm of the USGA in 2021, acknowledged that the decision on whether to match or exceed the Masters' purse won't be made until just before the tournament. "To be determined," he said. "We make that decision with the board usually the week before we play. But to me, it's not a race. It wouldn't bother me a bit if Augusta was more or less the same."

Historically, the U.S. Open has led the pack in prize money among the four majors since 2017. The last time another major matched it was back in 2016, when both the U.S. Open and the Masters offered $10 million purses, including a $1.8 million first-place prize. But the landscape has shifted dramatically since LIV Golf burst onto the scene in 2022, introducing unprecedented $25 million purses at every event. That seismic change has rippled through the sport, pushing the PGA Tour to boost its own payouts. The Players Championship, while not a major, now boasts a $25 million purse and a $4.5 million winner's check, while the PGA Tour's eight signature events each offer $20 million.

For context, the other two majors still trail behind. The PGA Championship's purse sits at $19 million, and the Open Championship's is $17 million. Whan reflected on the rapid growth, noting, "When I started at the USGA (in 2021), we were $12.5 million, and the women's purse was $4.5 million. So, we're pretty excited about what's happened with the purses in the last five years."

As the U.S. Open prepares to tee off later this year, golf fans can expect a tournament that continues to prioritize prestige over a bidding war—even if the prize money isn't the biggest in the game.