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19th Hole

Jack Nicklaus’ story of the only time he bet on himself is pure Jack Nicklaus

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Jack Nicklaus’ annual Memorial Tournament press conference is always worth a watch/read/listen.

And while Jack had plenty to say this year–from his take on Tiger Woods’ return (he didn’t think Tiger would play again, thinks he needs how to win again–to the PGA Championship’s move and its effect on his tournament (he’s not worried)–this story is one of the coolest.

Nicklaus offered a take on wagering inside the ropes during his days on the PGA Tour. While the Golden Bear admitted small wagers during practice rounds were common, he says he never bet another player during a tournament.

The only time he bet on himself at a sportsbook, however, was during the 1960 U.S. Open, while he was still an amateur.

“The only wager I ever had was the 1960 U.S. Open,” Nicklaus said. “It was a month before I was getting married. I was the U.S. Amateur champion and my dad said, ‘Hey, they got you at 35-1. You want some of that?’ I said, ‘I’ll have $20.’ He said, ‘You want place and show?’ I said, ‘I’m not here to place and show.’”

“I was more worried about winning $700 and getting married a month later as much as I was worried about winning the U.S. Open…That’s the only wager I’ve ever had in golf.”

Interestingly, Nicklaus did in fact “place,” finishing second, two strokes behind Arnold Palmer and his historic barnstorming 65.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

19th Hole

How much each player won at the 2026 Masters

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Rory McIlroy made it two wins in as many years at Augusta National, seeing off the challengers on a dramatic Sunday to slip on the green jacket once again. The victory earned Rory a whopping payday of $4.5 million, with Scottie Scheffler his closest challenger earning $2.43 million for his sole runner-up finish.

With a total prize purse of $22.5 million up for grabs, here’s a look at how much each player won at the 2026 Masters tournament.

For players that did not make the cut, they still earned $25k for their efforts at the year’s opening major.

  • 1: Rory McIlroy, $4.5 million
  • 2: Scottie Scheffler, $2.43 million
  • T3: Tyrrell Hatton, $1.08 million
  • T3: Russell Henley, $1.08 million
  • T3: Justin Rose, $1.08 million
  • T3: Cameron Young, $1.08 million
  • T7: Collin Morikawa, $725,625
  • T7: Sam Burns, $725,625
  • T9: Xander Schauffele, $630,00
  • T9: Max Homa, $630,00
  • 11: Jake Knapp, $562,500
  • T12: Jordan Spieth, $427,500
  • T12: Brooks Koepka, $427,500
  • T12: Hideki Matsuyama, $427,500
  • T12: Patrick Reed, $427,500
  • T12: Patrick Cantlay, $427,500
  • T12: Jason Day, $427,500
  • T18: Viktor Hovland, $315,000
  • T18: Maverick McNealy, $315,000
  • T18: Matt Fitzpatrick, $315,000
  • T21: Keegan Bradley, $252,000
  • T21: Ludvig Aberg, $252,000
  • T21: Wyndham Clark, $252,000
  • T24: Matt McCarty, $182,083
  • T24: Adam Scott, $182,083
  • T24: Sam Stevens, $182,083
  • T24: Chris Gotterup, $182,083
  • T24: Michael Brennan, $182,083
  • T24: Brian Campbell, $182,083
  • T30: Alex Noren, $146,250
  • T30: Harris English, $146,250
  • T30: Shane Lowry, $146,250
  • T33: Gary Woodland, $121,500
  • T33: Dustin Johnson, $121,500
  • T33: Brian Harman, $121,500
  • T33: Tommy Fleetwood, $121,500
  • T33: Ben Griffin, $121,500
  • T38: Jon Rahm, $105,750
  • T38: Ryan Gerard, $101,250
  • T38: Haotong Li, $96,750
  • T41: Justin Thomas, $92,250
  • T41: Sepp Straka, $87,750
  • T41: Jacob Bridgeman, $83,250
  • T41: Kristoffer Reitan, $78,750
  • T41: Nick Taylor, $74,250
  • 46: Sungjae Im, $69,750
  • 47: Si Woo Kim, $65,250
  • 48: Aaron Rai, $61,650
  • T49: Corey Conners, $57,600
  • T49: Marco Penge, $57,600
  • 51: Kurt Kitayama, $55,250
  • 52: Sergio Garcia, $54,000
  • 53: Rasmus Hojgaard, $52,650
  • 54: Charl Schwartzel, $51,300

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19th Hole

CBS’s Sunday Masters coverage slammed by golf fans

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While Sunday was a dramatic day at the Masters, many golf fans were left feeling frustrated by the CBS final round coverage.

There were plenty of moments that golf fans took to social media to air their frustrations on Sunday over, including a lack of shots being shown throughout the day, being behind the live action, confusion over the approach shots of the final group on 18, and providing an angle for the winning putt where the cup couldn’t be seen.

Here’s a look at some of the criticisms that were directed at the CBS coverage throughout the day on X:

It’s rare criticism coming in for CBS, who are usually heavily praised for their Masters coverage each year.

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19th Hole

The surprise club Tommy Fleetwood says is key to his Masters chances

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Tommy Fleetwood goes in search for the first major victory of his career again this week, with the Englishman proving to be a popular pick at Augusta National.

Fleetwood’s best showing at Augusta came back in 2024 where he finished T3, and while speaking at his pre-tournament press conference, the 35-year-old emphasized the importance of his 9-wood in his pursuit of the green jacket.

Speaking on Tuesday to media, Fleetwood said:

“It’s a great 9-wood golf course. I think it’s always been — I can’t remember when I first put like a 9-wood in or a high lofted club, but it’s a perfect like 9-wood golf course. I’ve had that in the bag for a few years.”

The Englishman continued, revealing that his strategy for the week won’t just be to hit driver off the tee as much as possible:

“Yeah, it’s funny really because I know Augusta is probably associated with being fairly forgiving off the tee in a way, so you think you can whale around driver a little bit. But I don’t necessarily think that’s always the play for me. I think there’s holes that set up really well where I can draw it with the mini driver if I’m feeling less comfortable with the driver and things like that.”

That strategy he believes will make his TaylorMade Qi10 9-wood extra critical this week in Georgia:

“The biggest thing is the 9-wood for me. If I can put myself in position on the par-5s or the 4th long par-3, like it — for me, I can’t really hit that high 4-iron, so 9-wood helps me a lot.”

Tommy Fleetwood WITB 2026

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