2017 U.S. Open purse increases to record $12 million in payouts

Golf's biggest events continue to grow and pay out athletes millions in additional winnings

In 1960, when Arnold Palmer won maybe the most famous U.S. Open ever, he received $14,400 for his efforts. The entire purse was $60,270. When you include inflation, that is still less than $500,000 in today's dollars. This year, when the tournament heads to Erin Hills in Wisconsin, the U.S. Open purse size will swell to $12 million.

This usurps the Players Championship and PGA Championship, both of which have $10.5 million purses. The Masters purse is $10 million. The Open Championship is a little less than that.

"When you look at the USGA championships, by and large, just about any way you look at, they're the most important championships not only in the U.S. but in the world," USGA executive director/CEO Mike Davis told Golf Digest. "And we talked about that and said the purses really should reflect that."

Well, they certainly do now.

In addition to the oversized total purse, the winner will also get nearly $2.2 million compared to the $1.8 million Dustin Johnson wore last year (poor guy). Here is a look at how the total purse size of this tournament has increased over the years.

Year	Location	Purse
2017	Erin Hills	$12,000,000
2007	Oakmont	$7,000,000
1997	Congressional	$2,600,000
1987	Olympic Club	$825,000
1977	Southern Hills	$253,000
1967	Baltusrol	$169,400
1957	Inverness	$30,000
1947	St. Louis Country Club	$10,000