Every player at the 2026 Presidents Cup is getting a $250,000 stipend from the PGA Tour. Both captains and all eight assistant captains receive the same amount, bringing the total to $4.25 million per team and $8.5 million overall.
There is no purse at the Presidents Cup. The stipend is the same for every participant regardless of results, and it is intended to help cover expenses like travel and lodging. This is the third straight Presidents Cup with the stipend in place, and after this week the Tour will have paid out $25.5 million since the system started in 2022.
The PGA Tour, which runs the event, did not pay participants for the first 13 editions dating back to 1994, Golfweek reported. Players and captains were instead assigned money that had to go to a charity of their choosing. From 2011 through 2019, that figure was $150,000 per participant.
RELATED: Trump Requests 15 Minutes to Speak Before Presidents Cup Singles at Medinah
Past media articles listed where the donations went, including Tiger Woods’ foundation and causes supported by Ernie Els, Fred Couples and Mike Weir. Players can now use the stipend however they choose and are no longer required to disclose where it goes. The Tour said in a statement that the payouts were adjusted “to reflect the changing landscape of charitable giving.”
Some players have directed their stipends to charity. Tony Finau has used Presidents Cup money to support literacy and education through the Tony Finau Foundation. Jason Day pledged his entire stipend to the Brighter Days Foundation, and Stewart Cink supported healthcare and ministry causes through his family foundation.
The Presidents Cup has generated more than $56 million for charity since 1994. Since 2022, the Tour has also guaranteed at least $1 million in charitable contributions to each host community.
At the 2024 Presidents Cup, Xander Schauffele was asked whether players should be paid to represent their teams and compared the question to “a grenade.” Max Homa said he could understand both sides.
RELATED: 2026 Presidents Cup: Thursday Four-Ball Matches, Tee Times and TV Schedule
At the most recent Ryder Cup, the PGA of America paid each U.S. player $500,000 for the first time, made up of a $200,000 stipend and $300,000 designated for charity. It was reported that every player and captain donated the full amount, while Team Europe received no payment.
The PGA Tour operates both teams at the Presidents Cup, so the same stipend applies to Brandt Snedeker’s U.S. squad and Geoff Ogilvy’s International Team. The Internationals take a 10.5 to 7.5 lead into Sunday singles, with 12 points still up for grabs across 12 singles matches.
The International Team needs five of the 12 available points to win the Cup for the first time since 1998, while the U.S. needs eight. The Americans are chasing an 11th consecutive win, and a 15-15 finish would see the teams share the Cup as co-champions.
