Justin Rose lost close to $500,000 of his Masters prize money only days after finishing tied for third at Augusta, despite producing an impressive performance across the tournament.
For much of Sunday’s final round, Rose looked to be in control at the Masters. The Englishman held a two-shot lead through 10 holes and appeared well positioned to mount a serious charge for the Green Jacket. But by the time he arrived at the 18th green, the picture had changed completely, leaving him to reflect on a chance that had slipped away.
Although Rose ended the week tied for third and still collected a substantial payout, a significant deduction followed. The 2026 Masters featured a record $22.5 million prize fund, up from $21 million the previous year, with champion Rory McIlroy taking home $4.5 million. Scottie Scheffler earned $2.43 million for finishing runner-up, while Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley and Cameron Young each received $1.09 million for their share of third place.
What Rose and the rest of the field could not avoid, however, was the tax burden attached to competing on American soil. In 2026, all players at Augusta were subject to a combined tax rate of 41.99 percent, made up of a 37 percent U.S. federal withholding tax and Georgia’s 4.99 percent state income tax. Applied to Rose’s $1.09 million payday, that resulted in a tax bill of $457,691, meaning he effectively lost almost $500,000 of his winnings.
The tax impact extended across the entire field, with the projected overall tax bill for the 2026 Masters reaching $9,447,750, an increase of $545,850 from the previous year. While the Masters now sits among the most lucrative tournaments in professional golf, the financial reality for players remains substantial once tax liabilities are taken into account.
In the wider context of the sport, the Players Championship still stands as golf’s richest event with a $25 million purse. The U.S. Open offered $21.5 million, while the PGA Championship and The Open Championship came in at $19 million and $17 million respectively. Even so, the Masters’ record-breaking 2026 purse underlined Augusta’s position as one of the biggest financial stages in golf.
Rose, meanwhile, still has a distinguished career to lean on, including his 2013 U.S. Open triumph and Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016. Now in his mid-40s, he has also shown that he remains a serious force on the PGA Tour, adding two victories in the past eight months to confirm he can still compete at the highest level.
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