Most lucrative Players Championship yet highlights growth of golf’s riches

Those at the top of the sport - who will scrap over a record $20m purse at Sawgrass - have never had it so good

This has been quite the spell for those who like to number crunch around the world of professional golf. The Players Championship, taking place this weekend, carries a prize purse of $20m with $3.6m to be bestowed on the winner. By Sunday evening, three tournaments in a row played in Florida will have handed out a combined $40m on the basis of leaderboard placings. Arnold Palmer's PGA Tour winnings totalled $1.9m.

Those at the summit of this sport have never had it so good. Still, many believe the largesse associated with the PGA Tour in particular has become obscene, to the point where golfers will naturally lose all grip on reality. The theory was only endorsed as umpteen players at least flirted with Saudi Arabia and its bid for a breakaway tour. Phil Mickelson, without any apparent irony, blasted the PGA Tour for obnoxious greed" before admitting his Saudi dealings were all about leverage".