I was sitting on my couch watching last year’s Memorial Tournament highlights when it hit me. That winning check looked bigger than my last car loan. So I grabbed my laptop and started poking around.
First Step: Checking 2024 Numbers
Fired up Google and typed “memorial tournament 2024 purse”. Jaw dropped. $20 million total purse, winner took home $3.6 million. I remembered reading somewhere that’s almost double what it was five years back. Dug into PGA Tour records – yep, 2019 had $9.1 million total. This thing’s growing like my neighbor’s prize-winning zucchini.
Chatting With My Golf Buddies
Called up Dave and Mike from the clubhouse. Dave goes “Jack Nicklaus runs this thing right?” Made me realize the tournament founder actually pushes purse increases himself. Found old interviews where Jack said corporate sponsors should “pony up more” since players bring in the crowds. Legend’s got pull.
- Saw FedEx renewed sponsorship through 2030 – deep pockets
- TV ratings jumped 12% last year – more eyes means more money
- Pebbled Beach purse just announced record increase – domino effect
Putting The Pieces Together
Stayed up way too late comparing PGA Tour events. Noticed something – every time the Players Championship raises their purse, The Memorial follows within 18 months. Players jumped to $25 million last March. Do the math.
Pulled out my notes app and jotted down prediction factors:
– Inflation (groceries cost more, so should golf purses)
– Saudi league pressure (PGA’s gotta compete)
– That new $500 clubhouse at Muirfield Village (gotta pay that mortgage)
– Jack’s 85th birthday in 2025 (sentimental boost)
My Final Prediction
After crunching all this? I’m calling $22.5 million total purse for 2025. Winner’s share around $4 mil. Told the guys at Sunday brunch and they all laughed until Mike checked his phone – turns out Wells Fargo just announced a 20% purse bump for their event. Now they’re asking me for lottery numbers.
