PINEHURST, N.C. — When he spoke to the media on the eve of the U.S. Open, USGA CEO Mike Whan offered an interesting explanation as to why the association would be offering the richest prize money payout in major championship history—$21.5 million overall with $4.3 million going to Sunday's winner, Bryson DeChambeau. Yes, the feud between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has forced the hand of governing bodies that run the men’s big four events to rachet up paydays in an awkward bit of purse inflation. But there was also the notion that the championship itself should come with a financial reward commensurate with the accomplishment of being the last man standing in the U.S. Open. “We want to make sure that our purse matches how we feel about the rest of our championship, which is that it’s a life-changing different in the game,” Whan said. “And I think we’re there and we’ll continue to kind of monitor that.” Of course, you can make the argument that money isn’t the most important thing about b...
