Rory McIlroy will lose a large chunk of his Masters prize money -Credit:Getty
Rory McIlroy made history at Augusta National last Sunday, becoming only the fourth golfer ever to win back-to-back Masters titles and claiming his sixth major championship in the process.
The green jacket was his to keep. The $4.5 million prize check, however, was always going to be subject to a rather significant deduction.
The Northern Irishman’s second consecutive Masters victory came at the end of one of the most dramatic final rounds the tournament has seen in recent years. McIlroy squandered a record six-shot lead in the third round, briefly lost the lead again on Sunday before birdying the 12th and 13th to surge clear, and then survived a nervy finish at the 18th, hitting his drive into the trees before getting up and down from a bunker for the winning bogey. After the final putt, he was greeted by his parents, who were absent for his first Masters win.
• Rory McIlroy still ‘angry and hurt’ as major life decision with Erica Stoll made easier
• Rory McIlroy overcame ‘dirty’ ESPN move with ex-girlfriend at the Masters
A one-shot victory over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler gave McIlroy his place alongside Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods in Masters history.
The financial reward was substantial. The Masters offered a record $22.5 million purse in 2026, up from $21 million the previous year, with $4.5 million going to the champion.
Scheffler collected $2.43 million for his runner-up finish, while Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, Justin Rose and Cameron Young each took home $1.08 million for their share of third place.
Rory McIlroy won the Masters once more on Sunday -Credit:Getty Images
What McIlroy, and every other competitor at Augusta, will not escape is the tax bill that comes with competing on American soil. Analysis by AskGamblers has revealed that McIlroy is set to lose almost $1.9 million of his 2026 winnings due to US tax regulations.
All golfers competing at the Masters are subject to a combined tax rate of 41.99 percent in 2026, reflecting the US federal tax withholding rate of 37 percent and Georgia’s 2026 state tax rate of 4.99 percent. Applied to McIlroy’s $4.5 million, that produces a tax bill of $1,898,550.
It also means his back-to-back Masters victories have come at a combined tax cost of $3,669,930 across the two years, an increase of $109,170 compared to his 2025 liability, driven by the larger prize fund and the slightly increased Georgia state rate.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates winning the 2026 Masters Tournament on the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club -Credit:Getty
The overall tax bill for the entire 2026 Masters field is projected at $9,447,750, up $545,850 on the previous year.
McIlroy is now joint-second on the list of European major winners alongside Faldo on six, behind only Harry Vardon’s seven, won between 1896 and 1914. He also becomes the first player since Woods to hold the same major title in consecutive years.
For context on how the Masters prize money compares across golf’s biggest events, the Players Championship remains the richest event in the sport with a $25 million purse, while the PGA Championship offered $19 million last year and The Open Championship $17 million.
The US Open pipped Augusta at $21.5 million, though the Masters’ record $22.5 million in 2026 puts it firmly among the sport’s most lucrative events.