There are some brilliant perks for claiming victory at The Open, including taking custody of the famous Claret Jug for a year, $3.1m in prize money and a free pass to future editions of The Open until the age of 55.
While those benefits help ensure that winning the Major is one of the most sought-after prizes in golf, it’s not all heartache for the player who finishes runner-up at Royal Portrush. Here are some of the perks heading to the player who narrowly misses out.
Prize Money
Billy Horschel and Justin Rose shared the runner-up place in 2024
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The 2025 edition of the Major has an overall purse of $17m for the second year running. That means the winner will claim an identical sum to that handed to 2024 champion Xander Schauffele, $3.1m.
However, while that is one of the biggest payouts in the game, the player finishing second will also leave Royal Portrush significantly wealthier, thanks to a payout of $1.759m. Last year, Billy Horschel and Justin Rose shared the runner-up place, handing them $1.443m each.
Silver Salver
Henrik Stenson won the silver salver in 2013
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It will never replicate the feeling of lifting the Claret Jug, but the runner-up is presented with a silver salver, which he gets to keep.
There have been some notable winners of the silver salver in recent years, including Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood and Phil Mickelson. Lefty took the silver salver in 2016 after finishing second to Henrik Stenson. Three years earlier, the roles were reversed as Stenson had to settle for the silver salver while Mickelson won the Claret Jug.
Major Exemptions
The runner-up guarantees a place at The Masters
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Like the other three Majors, finishing second ensures various exemptions into the big tournaments for the following year. In the case of The Open, the runner-up (and everyone finishing in the top 10 and ties) guarantees their spot in the 2026 tournament, which will take place at Royal Birkdale. There’s also a place in the 2026 Masters for the runner-up as a top-four finisher.
World Ranking Points
World ranking points are one of the most reliable ways to qualify for Majors, and even though the winner will claim 100 points, the runner-up will earn plenty too, with 60 heading his…
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