Bryson DeChambeau had to spend the weekend in a way he never dreamt of, even in his wildest dreams. He arrived at Augusta as one of the favorites, having won his two most recent events on the LIV Golf circuit, but he was gone before the weekend even began. Yet despite that early exit, the 2026 Masters still offers a quiet consolation prize for the two-time U.S. Open winner.
The Masters 2026 has revealed its total prize purse, which has reached a massive $22,500,000, up from $21m in 2025, with a winner’s share of $4,500,000 (20% of the purse). Players finishing in the top 50 receive prizes starting at $56,700, while those who finished outside the top 50 but made the cut receive cash prizes starting at $55,350, with amounts decreasing based on their scores.
For Bryson DeChambeau and the other players who failed to qualify for the final 36 holes, the tournament offers a missed cut payout of $25,000. In years prior, the payout to golfers who missed the cut in The Masters was $10,000. In fact, the other three majors do the same, with the amount varying.
Prize money breakdown for @TheMasters just distributed by the club pic.twitter.com/xYgiLyalot
— Josh Carpenter (@JoshACarpenter) April 11, 2026
Certainly, DeChambeau will still not be happy with the results. Experts such as Jim Nantz and Butch Harmon both noted his strong form ahead of the 90th Masters, with Harmon specifically assessing DeChambeau’s chances as being among the highest in the field.
However, in the opening round, DeChambeau was playing steady, even-par golf until he reached the par-4 11th hole. But the collapse started on the par-4 11th hole (White Dogwood). He hit his third shot heavy into the right greenside bunker. Things only got worse from there. He needed three separate swipes to extract his ball from the soft sand. He eventually two-putted for a triple-bogey 7, finishing the day with a disappointing 4-over 76.
On Friday, Bryson showed grit on the front nine, grinding out three birdies to turn at 1-under for the day and move back inside the projected cut line. By the time he reached the 15th, a birdie moved him to 3-over for the tournament, seemingly safe. However, disaster struck again at the 18th hole.
He pushed his drive into the right-side trees, punched out into the front-left bunker, and—in a devastating callback to Thursday—took two swings to get out of the sand. His fourth shot caught the false front of the green and rolled back off entirely. He tapped in for another triple-bogey 7, finishing at 6-over par and missing the cut by two strokes.
However, DeChambeau is not the only big name missing the cutline. The U.S. Open winner J.J. Spaun, who arrived just four days after winning the Valero Texas Open, missed the cut. The Arnold Palmer Invitational winner, Akshay Bhatia, who is having a good season overall, also collapsed on his final nine. All of them will be receiving the same $25,000 consolation prize.
The Complex Relationship between Bryson DeChambeau and Augusta National
Since his first appearance at the Augusta National, Bryson has had an interesting relationship with the course. He first made strides in 2016, earning Low Amateur honors in his debut. However, his relationship with the club became famously strained in 2020.
Ahead of that year’s tournament, he claimed he was looking at Augusta as a ‘par 67’ because his length allowed him to reach every par-5 in two. The course bit back, and he finished T34, leading to years of ribbing from fans and peers. DeChambeau eventually matured. He expressed regret for the comment and apologized to the club, noting that it was ‘disrespectful’ and a ‘humbling experience’.
And his recent history at the course is filled with clutch-time blowouts. In 2025, he entered the final round in a shoot-out with Rory McIlroy, even taking the lead early. However, a double-bogey on the 11th hole ended his hopes, and he finished four shots back as McIlroy claimed the title. Now this 2026 collapse is another chapter in this series.
No matter how hot he comes back to this golf course next year, the wait for a Green Jacket must hold for another season. And this recent 2026 collapse was a reminder that at Augusta, the margin between a $4,500,000 payday and a $25,000 consolation prize is often found in the bottom of a greenside bunker.
