Since the inception of The Masters in 1934, the winner's share of the purse at Augusta National has risen by a whopping 239,900%, with the tourney's first winner, Horton Smith, collecting $1,500 and 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler pocketing $3.6 million.
Yeah, things have changed a bit over the last nine decades.
Take six-time champion Jack Nicklaus, for instance. In 45 starts at Augusta National, a resume that includes a record 37 made cuts and a ridiculous 22 top-10 finishes, "The Golden Bear" made a total of $748,359. For reference, that entire sum would have been good for the sixth-highest payout in last year's event.
Three-time winner Gary Player teed it up a record 52 times at The Masters and earned a total of $239,552, which would've ranked 21st on last year's payout board.
And while you're thinking about that, think about this. In just five career starts at Augusta National, Scheffler already ranks third on the tourney's all-time money list with $7,037,325. And if the world's top-ranked player can win a third green jacket this year, he'll move into the top spot.
So, who currently owns the No. 1 spot?
Phil Mickelson is the all-time leading money winner at The Masters
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Tiger Woods sat atop the all-time Masters money list for years.
After all, the 82-time PGA Tour winner was the first to collect a winner's check of more than $1 million when he completed the "Tiger Slam" in 2001 and was also the first to cash in for more than $2 million when he won his fifth green jacket in 2019.
However, Woods owns the record no longer, as he was surpassed by longtime rival and three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson in 2023.
While Tiger made the cut that year, he withdrew seven holes into his third round due to a reaggravated plantar fasciitis injury in his right foot. Mickelson, meanwhile, also made the weekend and vaulted up the leaderboard during Sunday's final round, firing a 7-under 65 to finish in a tie for second, thus earning $1.584 million.
And with that payday, Lefty moved into the top spot.
Both again made the cut in 2024, with Mickelson increasing his lead, earning $72,000 by tying for 43rd while Woods collected $39,600 by finishing 60th.
Per PGATour.com, Mickelson has earned $9,820,317 in 31 appearances at The Masters while Tiger has amassed $9,632,636 in 26 trips to Augusta National.
As mentioned, Scheffler sits in third at $7,037,325, with Jordan Spieth ($6,005,828) and Jon Rahm ($5,120,217) rounding out the top five.