After the PGA of America announced the official prize purse total for the 2024 PGA Championship, we know have a much better idea of what sort of figure the winning player's caddie will collect.
While the exact amount a professional caddie makes varies from on-course couple to on-course couple, it is generally accepted the looper will take a 10 per cent cut of the winner's check, and between a seven and five per cent share - depending on how far down the leaderboard their boss ends up.
“I think $2,000 a week is pretty average, but everything is worked out between you and the player,” veteran caddie of over 25 years Brennan Little told Golf Monthly in 2022.
“After a few years you’ll get a raise. Or you’ll get bonuses at the end of the year. It just varies by the player. I think generally if you were looking for a number it would be $2,000 a week, and then 7 to 8 per cent and 10 per cent [of the prize money].”
In relation to the PGA Championship, the total prize purse has risen by $1 million from 2023 and an astonishing $6.5 million from 2021 - it is now $18.5 million for the 2024 event at Valhalla Golf Club. From that, Xander Schauffele not only collects the Wanamaker Trophy but also a check for $3.33 million.
Taking the aforementioned theory into account, Xander Schauffele's caddie Austin Kaiser is likely to earn $330,000 for his excellent week's work. Caddies also make a baseline salary every week, on top of a percentage of prize money, which is all agreed upon with the player.
The PGA Championship number is marginally less than Scottie Scheffler's caddie, Ted Scott picked up at The Masters, with the total prize purse at Augusta standing at $20 million - $3.6 million of which went to the World No.1. $360,000 of Scheffler's prize was then passed on his charismatic assistant.
Scott is nearing the $2 million mark for bonus earnings in 2024 already and would need Scheffler - who has endured something of a strange week following his arrest on Friday just days after becoming a dad for the first time - to pull off one of the all-time great comebacks if he is to pass that figure this week.
Otherwise, Scott is likely to have a couple more opportunities to pass the magic number before the US Open next month in the form of the Canadian Open and the Memorial Tournament - a PGA Tour Signature Event.
The eight special PGA Tour events this year have prize purses of $20 million and pay the winner either $4 million or $3.6 million, depending on the tournament, meaning the victorious caddie can take home a check for $400,000.
