U.S. Open Golf vs. U.S. Open Tennis – A Comparison

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Let’s do a comparison between U.S. Open golf and U.S. Open tennis. I was motivated to do this as the 2024 U.S. Open was taking place at the Oakmont Country Club just outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. and recorded a podcast on my “TennisPublisher” podcast on the Swell podcast network (a mini-podcast where all the podcasts are less than 15 minutes long, as you can listen to here: https://www.swellcast.com/t/O1Uo0Qian4fUZNr

PRIZE MONEY

In 2024, the U.S. Tennis Association paid out $75 million in prize money with the men’s and women’s singles champions each earning $3.6 million.  The USTA pays out prize money checks to about 600 players, between main draw singles player (256 players), qualifying singles players (224 players), doubles-only players (about 100 total)/

In 2025, the U.S. Golf Association paid $21.5 million in prize money at the men’s U.S. Open golf at Oakmont and $12 million at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. The U.S. Golf Association does not pay equal prize money to men and women, unlike the U.S. Tennis Association, which has done it since 1973. The U.S. Open men’s champion earned $4.3 million and women’s champ earned $2.4 million in 2025. While the U.S. Open tennis pays prize money checks to about 600 players, in golf only players who make the cut (top 60 and ties) earn a paycheck.

TV RATINGS

In 2024, both the men’s and women’s singles finals earned TV ratings on ESPN of 1.6 million viewers (Aryna Sabalenka beating Jessica Pegula and Jannik Sinner beating Taylor Fritz). In 2023, Coco Gauff’s win over Sabalenka was viewed by 3.6 million viewers and Novak Djokovic’s win over Daniil Medvedev earned a 2.3 million viewership number. U.S. Open tennis, of course, goes head-to-head against college football and NFL football.

In 2024, the U.S. Open dual between Bryson Dechambeau and Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst in North Carolina was seen by 5.9 million viewers on NBC. The U.S. Women’s Open in 2025 at Erin Hills won by relative unknown Maja Stark was seen by 1.58 million views on NBC (roughly the same as the 2024 U.S. Open men’s and women’s singles finals).

MEDIA AVAILABILITY / INFRASTRUCTURE

I discuss this on my above mentioned podcast where pro golfers are not required to do post-match/round press conferences or media availability – and this is becoming a controversy in golf – while tennis players must be available to the media, or get fined.

The USTA just announced an $800 million upgrade to the facilities at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Arthur Ashe Stadium. The USGA recently spent $4.8 million on a fan and corporate hospitality expense just at Oakmont Country Club, one of its newly-announced “anchor” sites for their championship.