GOLF
How much prize money did Rasmus Højgaard win at the 2024 Irish Open?
Royal County Down has a prestigious legacy in the history of the Irish Open and the sport of golf, and it has hosted the event on multiple occasions.
The 2024 Irish Open came to a close on Sunday afternoon at the historic Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Defending champion Vincent Norrman of Sweden returned to defend his title after securing a narrow one-stroke victory last year with a final-round 65.
But it was Rasmus Højgaard who came out on top with a final score of 9 under par, sealing a heartbreaking end to the tournament for Rory McIlroy, who crumbled at the final hurdle.
The tournament featured top Irish golfers, including Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, both former champions. McIlroy, who last won the event in 2016, is commemorated with a plaque on the 16th fairway at the K Club for his impressive fairway wood shot during that victory. Lowry, a fan favorite, famously won the tournament as an amateur in 2009 at County Louth, and had another appearance in this year’s field.
Here is how the top of final leaderboard looked:
| Rank | Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rasmus Højgaard | -9 |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy | -8 |
| 3 | Matteo Manassero | -7 |
| 4 | Daniel Brown | -6 |
History of the Irish Open tournament
Royal County Down holds a storied place in Irish Open history, having hosted the event multiple times. The venue first welcomed the Irish Open in 1927, with George Duncan claiming victory at Portmarnock. The Wickham brothers were one of the stars of that early period, with Ernest winning in 1928 and 1935 and Charles triumphing in 1930 at Royal Portrush.
After a hiatus during World War II, the tournament resumed in 1946, with Fred Daly winning at Portmarnock.
Revived in 1975 by Christy O’Connor Jr. and Sr. at Woodbrook, the Irish Open has since rotated through prestigious venues like Royal Dublin and Mount Juliet. Legends such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and Padraig Harrington are among its past champions.
2024 Irish Open: prize money breakdown
Rasmus Højgaard takes home $1,020,000, a 17% share of the $6 million purse, along with 5,000 Race to Dubai points and 1,500 European Ryder Cup points. Second and third places take $660,000 and $378,000 respectively.
Here is the full breakdown:
1st $1,020,000
2nd $660,000
3rd $378,000
4th $300,000
5th $254,400
6th $210,000
7th $180,000
8th $150,000
9th $134,400
10th $120,000
11th $110,400
12th $103,200
13th $96,600
14th $91,800
15th $88,200
16th $84,600
17th $81,000
18th $77,400
19th $74,400
20th $72,000
21st $69,600
22nd $67,800
23rd $66,000
24th $64,200
25th $62,400
26th $60,600
27th $58,800
28th $57,000
29th $55,200
30th $53,400
31st $51,600
32nd $49,800
33rd $48,000
34th $46,200
35th $44,000
36th $42,600
37th $41,400
38th $40,200
39th $39,000
40th $37,800
41st $36,600
42nd $35,400
43rd $34,200
44th $33,000
45th $31,800
46th $30,600
47th $29,400
48th $28,200
49th $27,000
50th $25,800
51st $24,600
52nd $23,400
53rd $22,200
54th $21,000
55th $20,400
56th $19,800
57th $19,200
58th $18,600
59th $18,000
60th $17,400
61st $16,800
62nd $16,200
63rd $15,600
64th $15,000
65th $14,400
66th $13,800
67th $13,200
68th $12,600
69th $12,000
70th $11,400
Remember that the Solheim Cup also concludes on Sunday, while we can also start to look forward to the 2024 President’s Cup as Jim Furyk takes the US Team into battle against Mike Weir’s International Team.