What does US Open winner Wyndham Clark get? Perks of winning the major championship explored

Wyndham Clark became the 123rd US Open winner as he beat Rory McIlroy by a single-stroke margin on Sunday, (June 18). This was his second title on the PGA Tour.

As a winner of the US Open, Clark will enjoy some perks as per tradition. He got to keep the US Open trophy, took $3.6 million home, and also received the prestigious Nicklaus medals.

Here's a look at some of the perks that Wyndham Clark received as the winner of the US Open 2023:

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What perks did US Open winner Wyndham Clark get?

#1 US Open Trophy

Wyndham Clark poses with the trophy after winning the 123rd U.S. Open Championship

Wyndham Clark had the fortune of holding the US Open trophy after emerging victorious at the Los Angeles Country Club, although he doesn't get the real one to keep.

For the uninitiated, players don't get to keep the real trophy. Rather, they are given the smaller replica of the original trophy, which is safely kept in the USGA Museum in New Jersey.

The actual trophy was retired in 1986. Prior to that, winners used to keep the real trophy until the next edition.

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#2 The Jack Nicklaus Medal

Clark receives the Nicklaus medal at the 123rd U.S. Open Championship

The winner of the US Open also gets honored with the Jack Nicklaus medal. The prestigious medal has been given to the winner since 1895, but it was named after Nicklaus in 2012.

Nicklaus has won the US Open four times in history, the joint-most in the tournament's history. The Jack Nicklaus Medal is a gold medal with the legendary golfer's swing engraved on it.

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#3 Huge winning amount

This year, the prize purse of the US Open was $20 million, the biggest in the tournament's history. As a result, the winning sum also increased significantly, by $450,000.

Wyndham Clark received a $3.6 million check. This was his second $3.6 million paycheck in six weeks. He has already earned more than $10 million in official money this season, putting him third on the list, only behind Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm.

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#4 Several Exemptions

With a win at the Los Angeles Country Club, Wyndham Clark became eligible to play at several tournaments, irrespective of what his ranking would be then.

Unlike the Masters, the winner of the US Open doesn't get a lifetime exemption for the tournament, but he becomes eligible to compete in the next 10 editions. Besides the US Open, Clark also won the ticket to play in the next five British Open Championships, the Masters, and the PGA Championship.

Not just majors, Clark also received a five-year exemption from The Players Championship. His PGA Tour card is safe for five years, irrespective of how he performs from here on.

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#5 OWGR Points

Wyndham Clark, who was World No. 32 prior to this week, reached his best-ever ranking after claiming his first major title. He is now No. 13 on the Original World Golf Rankings.

Clark started the year as the world's No. 163rd and had no victories on the PGA Tour. He has now won two of the biggest titles on the tour and has entered the top 15 in the world. The 29-year-old golfer is now fourth in the PGA Tour's season-long race for the FedEx Cup.