Golf tourism is now not just limited to the elite but is also seeping into the various strata of demographics and regions as various reports indicate that the value of golf tourism around the world will rise steadily from USD 23 billion in 2023 to USD 35 billion by 2034. 

It is then of little wonder that the recently concluded 2024 US Open Golf Championship, a major draw for native as well as international tourists, has showcased significant sponsorship investments, with financial services giant American Express leading the pack at USD 10.75 million annually. 

The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the US Open, is the annual open national championship of golf in the United States.

In its latest report, Post Event Analysis – US Open 2024 (Golf), London-headquartered data analytics firm GlobalData says the event remained a major draw, offering a record USD 12.5 million prize pool despite a slight dip in viewership from 2023. 

The report says that its long-term sponsor partnerships underscore the event’s enduring appeal and financial stability. The US Open 2024 set a new record with players from eight countries, including the USA, France, Northern Ireland, Japan, Sweden, England, Korea and Canada are among the top 10 and ties entering the final round. 

Television broadcasting company NBC and streaming service Peacock’s Sunday broadcast of the final round coverage of the 2024 US Open drew a total audience of 5.9 million viewers. 

Olivia Snooks

“The US Open has long-term partnerships with sponsors, including Rolex, American Express and Lexus. American Express and Lexus have been sponsors since 2006, whilst Rolex has been a partner since 1980,” says Olivia Snooks, Associate Sport Analyst at GlobalData.

“These long-term partnerships show the commitment between the US Open, but more widely the United States Golf Association (USGA), and their sponsors,” Snooks adds.

The statement adds that the final round of 2024 US Open was among the most watched editions of the competition in the last decade. 

NBC and Peacock’s Sunday broadcast of the final round coverage drew a 2.8 rating and produced a total audience of 2.9 million viewers across the seven-hour window, making it the most-watched East Coast final round since 2013. 

“The 2024 US Open saw great success in television ratings and viewership. Despite being down slightly from 2023, this can be largely attributed to the 2023 edition of the tournament, which was on the West Coast, overlapped into prime-time TV, therefore was able to bring in a slightly larger audience,” Snooks adds.

The 2024 US Open offered the richest prize money payout in major championship history, totalling USD 12.5 million overall, with USD 4.3 million of this being awarded to the 2024 US Open Champion, Bryson DeChambeau. 

The top four finishers all received at least USD 1 million, with runner-up Rory McIlroy receiving USD 2.3 million. 

The statement adds that in addition to the large amount of prize money, each of the 2024 US Open finishers and ties secured their spot in the 125th US Open at Oakmont, while the top four finishers and ties also earned an invite to Masters in April 2025.

“The prize pool for the 2024 US Open was considerable, and as is the case with many of the major sports competitions, the prize pool is growing year on year. An extra motivation for the players is an invite to the Masters the following year, which is one of the biggest tournaments in golf,” Snooks adds.