It may be just an opposite-field event for some, but for many players, the Barracuda Championship is a golden opportunity. Played alongside The Open Championship, the 2025 Barracuda Championship is being played at the Old Greenwood course, part of the Tahoe Mountain Club, designed by the legend Jack Nicklaus. Now, the Barracuda Championship doesn’t offer the huge prize money you see at the top PGA TOUR events, but the purse has grown over the years.
The purse was $3.5 million back in 2021, then jumped to $4 million in 2022, and it’s stayed at $4 million every year since. Sure, it may not be one of the elite stops on the PGA TOUR, but don’t let that fool you; this event is no easy ride. Unlike traditional stroke play, the Barracuda Championship uses a modified Stableford scoring system, adding a twist to how the game unfolds across four days and 72 holes.
Things get rolling with players split into morning and afternoon groups for the first two rounds. Each threesome plays one round starting from the 1st tee and another from the 10th, giving everyone a balanced challenge over the opening days. After 36 holes, it’s crunch time. Only the top 65 players (and ties), based on their total Stableford points, not strokes, make the cut and move on to the weekend rounds. That’s when the real test begins, every shot counts, and the chase for prize money kicks into gear. Just ask Nick Dunlap, who returns to the field this year as the defending champion.
Dunlap made history in 2024 by becoming the first player to win on the PGA Tour as both an amateur and a professional in the same season, first capturing The American Express as an amateur, then going on to win the Barracuda Championship as a pro. The Barracuda win earned him $720,000, a career-defining payday for a young pro.
So what’s the prize money drill this year? Let’s break it down.
Position
Prize Money
1
$720,000
2
$436,000
3
$276,000
4
$196,000
5
$164,000
6
$145,000
7
$135,000
8
$125,000
9
$117,000
10
$109,000
11
$101,000
12
$93,000
13
$85,000
14
$77,000
15
$73,000
16
$69,000
17
$65,000
18
$61,000
19
$57,000
20
$53,000
21
$49,000
22
$45,000
23
$41,800
24
$38,600
25
$35,400
26
$32,200
27
$31,000
28
$29,800
29
$28,600
30
$27,400
31
$26,200
32
$25,000
33
$23,800
34
$22,800
35
$21,800
36
$20,800
37
$19,800
38
$19,000
39
$18,200
40
$17,400
41
$16,600
42
$15,800
43
$15,000
44
$14,200
45
$13,400
46
$12,600
47
$11,800
48
$11,160
49
$10,600
50
$10,280
51
$10,040
52
$9,800
53
$9,640
54
$9,480
55
$9,400
56
$9,320
57
$9,240
58
$9,160
59
$9,080
60
$9,000
61
$8,920
62
$8,840
63
$8,760
64
$8,680
65
$8,600
Winning the Barracuda Championship doesn’t just bring a trophy and a paycheck; it also opens some pretty important doors. Along with 300 FedExCup points, the winner earns 24.2 Official World Golf Ranking points, depending on the strength of the field. For many players outside the top tier, that’s a serious boost in the standings. But the real value goes beyond the numbers.
A win here comes with a two-year exemption on the Tour. It also includes coveted spots in two of the most prestigious events in golf, including the PGA Championship and the Players Championship. For any young golfer, that’s a career-changing opportunity. With so much on the line and a field full of hungry contenders, fans won’t want to miss a single swing. So, where can you catch all the action live?
How to watch the weekend rounds of the 2025 Barracuda Championship?
As the weekend rolls in, so does the heat of competition at the 2025 Barracuda Championship. For U.S. viewers, Golf Channel continues its primetime coverage on Saturday and Sunday, with broadcasts running from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT. It’s the perfect evening watch, whether you’re winding down or hoping to catch a breakout moment under the California sun.
Meanwhile, UK fans can stay up for a thrilling late-night golf fix on Sky Sports Golf. Saturday’s action tees off at 10:00 p.m. BST, while Sunday’s final round begins an hour earlier at 9:00 p.m. Ideal for those who enjoy their drama with a side of midnight calm. If you can’t watch it live on TV, you can still catch all the action by streaming on PGA TOUR Live via ESPN+ or Fubo. Both offer features like multi-camera views and real-time featured shots.
After the first 1 holes, Ben Martin holds the lead. There’s still plenty of golf left, and with the modified Stableford format encouraging aggressive play, things can shift fast.
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