Unlocking the rewards : 4 benefits enjoyed by the winner of The Open Championship
The 2023 Open Championship will conclude the four majors of the year. Scheduled to be held between July 16 and 23, the 151st Open Championship will take place at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, England. Like every other major this year, the Open will host the most talented field on offer.
Cameron Smith is the defending champion from the 150th Open held last year at St. Andrews. Needless to say, the winner of the Open is set to receive a lot of benefits for a hard earned win. Here are four benefits enjoyed by the winner of the Open Championship.
The 151st Open is drawing near… 📆
@RLGCHoylake is looking sensational in the sun as the grandstands go up! https://t.co/BY9s7K1n90
4 benefits enjoyed by the winner of the Open Championship
1) The coveted Claret Jug
Just as the Masters gives out the iconic green jacket, the Open Championship is known for giving its coveted Claret Jug to the winner. It was first handed out to Tom Kidd in 1873.
Weighing over five pounds and made of 90% sterling silver, the Claret Jug is given to the winner to keep for a year. While the original jug is returned, the winner will get to keep a replica of the same.
2) Prize Money
The prize money payout for the Open is expected to be a lot. In 2022, the total prize purse was $14 million, with winner Cameron Smith taking home $2.5 million. While the prize money for this year has not been announced yet, the winner can expect to take home a sizeable amount of money to add to their winnings.
3) Ryder Cup teams and OWGR rankings
Winning the Open gives the golfer a rather large boost in their OWGR ranking points. The Open offers 100 OWGR points and also adds points to the respective winners FedEx Cup points or DP World Tour ranking points.
This year's Open Championship is also being held just three months shy of the 2023 Ryder Cup. Points are also up for grabs for the Ryder Cup team, which means that the top 6 players on the US and Europe List will automatically qualify to be a part of their respective teams for the Ryder Cup.
4) PGA Tour and other exemptions
The biggest benefit to winning the Open is all the exemptions. Winning at the 2023 Open will guarantee a golfer exemption into all Opens till they reach the age of 60. If that age is in the near future, they will receive an exemption for the next 10 years.
The winner will also receive a five year exemption to all three other majors. The winner also gets a lifetime exemption to the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior Open Championship once they turn 50 and a one year exemption to the Senior US Open.
Lastly, the winning golfer will get a 5 year exemption into the Players Championship, as well as five other PGA Tour invitationals that include the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Charles Schwab Challenge, the Genesis Invitational, the Memorial Tournament and the RBC Heritage.