How Much Does the Winning Caddie Earn at the Tour Championship?
By Staff Writer
1 min read
Michael Stokes / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Caddies at the Tour Championship share in one of golf's largest paydays, with the standard 10% cut of the winner's prize translating into a seven-figure week for the player on the bag.
How much does the winning caddie make?
The Tour Championship carries a $40 million purse, double the amount at Signature Events and $15 million more than the Players Championship. The winner earns $10 million, and it is widely accepted on Tour that a winning caddie takes 10% of that prize on top of any separate salary arrangement, putting the winning caddie's cut at roughly $1 million.
What do caddies further down the leaderboard earn?
Caddies for players finishing in the rest of the top 10 typically receive around 7% of their player's prize money, with about 5% standard for the remaining field.
| Finish | Player earnings | Typical caddie cut | Caddie payday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | $10,000,000 | 10% | $1,000,000 |
| Solo 2nd | $5,000,000 | 7% | $350,000 |
| 30th | $355,000 | 5% | $17,750 |
A 5% cut of last place still outpaces most weeks on Tour.
Even JJ Spaun, who withdrew from the Tour Championship on Thursday through injury, is guaranteed at least $355,000 for finishing 30th in the FedEx Cup standings, worth roughly $17,750 to his caddie, Mark Carens, at the standard 5% rate.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of prize money do caddies typically get?
The standard is around 10% for a win, 7% for a top-10 finish and 5% for other finishes, on top of any separate salary.
How big is the Tour Championship purse?
$40 million, double the purse at PGA Tour Signature Events and $15 million more than the Players Championship.
Do caddies get paid a base salary too?
Many do, negotiated privately between player and caddie, in addition to the percentage of tournament winnings.
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