Thursday 14 July 2016 3:43 pm

British Open 2016 prize money: Brexit effect on pound could mean stars such as Jason Day and Jordan Spieth lose out on over £100,000 worth of prize money

By: Joe Hall

The plummeting value of the pound since the UK voted for Brexit has caused a dramatic loss in golfers' prize money earning potential at this year's British Open.

Players from 23 different countries have converged on Royal Troon in Scotland this weekend for the third Major of the year, where the victor will take home the competition's biggest ever reward of £1.18m.

The prize, paid out by the R&A in sterling, is £30,000 larger than the £1.15m awarded to reigning champion Zach Johnson a year ago.

Yet due to a collapse in the value of the pound since the UK voted to leave the European Union last month — the currency hit a 31-year-low against the dollar last week — many international stars will actually take home less than they would have for winning last year once their winnings are converted into their local currency.

Read more: Winning weekend — Record prizes on offer at 145th Open

Analysis from FinTech FX company Caxton found that players from Japan, such as world No17 Hideki Matsuyama and Shugo Imahira who was two strokes off the lead on Thursday afternoon, will be the most badly effected with a win now worth £180,950 less than it would have been before Brexit.

As an Australian, world No1 Jason Day would have earned the equivalent of £149,225 more for winning a pre-Brexit Open while Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, who prop up Day as world No2 and No3 respectively, could see their take home reduced by £148,050 thanks to the pound's pummelling.

According to Caxton, who count professional sportsmen among their clients, Swede Henrik Stenson will be the least effected player not from the UK or with a bank account in the UK should he win the £1.18m prize.