What happens to Masters’ $2.7 million winners' prize money if an amateur wins it?

The Masters 2023 is done with the second round of the tournament. While legendary five-time green jacket holder Tiger Woods has not had the most impressive first two rounds, LIV golfer Brooks Koepka took a massive lead, finishing first on the leaderboard.

But the most surprising name on the leaderboard is second-ranked golfer Sam Bennett. The 23-year-old amateur made a great debut at the Masters with an impressive start after the first two rounds of the game.

Fans across the world are still figuring out what if Sam Bennett or any other amateur golfer wins the Masters 2023, where will the $2.7 million prize money go?

To answer that question, the amateur golfer has two options after winning the Masters: the first is to turn down the paycheck and retain their amateur card and the second is to drop their amateur card, get the huge prize money paycheck, and earn a professional card.

Interestingly, the Masters was never won by any amateur player in its entire history.

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What are the rules for Amateur golfers accepting prize money?

Rule 3 for Prize money for USGA golfer states that no player shall accept prize money over £700 or US$1000. They can accept prize money higher than this if they forfeit their amateur card.

A golfer can still take the expense and accommodation money from the competition even after turning down the prize money paycheck. They can also accept prize trophies or any other item presented as a prize other than cash.

However, the prize restrictions do not apply to a reward for a hole-in-one made outside of a tee-to-hole golf competition. The only condition applied here is that the length of the shot must be no less than 50 yards.

The prize money rule is also exempt from long-drive contests, target contests, contests requiring certain abilities, trick shots, and contests involving only putting are prohibited, unless they take place within a tee-to-hole golf contest.

This rule also does not apply if gambling or wagering is taking place between golfers, either individually or in teams.

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List of amateurs in the Masters 2023

A total of seven amateur golfers were invited to the Masters 2023. Sam Bennett is having a strong campaign in the competition with a second-ranked finish whereas Gordon Sargent, who is also the youngest player in this edition of the Masters, is hanging at the T-83 position on the leaderboard after the first two rounds.

• Sam Bennett
• Ben Carr
• Harrison Crowe
• Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira
• Matthew McClean
• Aldrich Potgieter
• Gordon Sargent

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List of amateur golfers who won any major golf tournament

In the history of golf, a number of amateur golfers have won major tournaments. But this has only happened in two of the four major tournaments.

The U.S. Open

• Francis Ouimet, 1913
• Jerome Travers, 1915
• Chick Evans, 1916
• Bobby Jones, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930
• Johnny Goodman, 1933

The British Open

• John Ball, 1890
• Harold Hilton, 1892, 1897
• Bobby Jones, 1926, 1927, 1930

The PGA Championship and the Masters Tournament are yet to get their first amateur winner.