Open champion to win more money this year

ST ANDREWS, Scotland, - The Open champion at Carnoustie in July will receive increased prize money of 320,000 pounds ($531,300), The Royal and Ancient Club, who stage the event, announced on Wednesday.

The figure is an increase of 20,000 pounds ($33,210) on the 300,000 pounds ($498,100) won by Mark O'Meara at Royal Birkdale last year and is more than three times the 100,000 pounds ($166,000) won by Greg Norman when he won the title at Royal St George's as recently as 1993.

The total prize money of 1.85 million pounds ($3.07 million) is 50,000 pounds ($83,020) more than last year.

When the Open was last held at Carnoustie in 1975, winner Tom Watson won just 7,500 pounds ($12,450).

TRW