The 2012 U.S. Open is (obviously) open to amateurs, but that's not to say the professional golfers are in it strictly to uphold the Olympic ideals—the purse for the finishers is planty big, and it's served to make surprise winner Webb Simpson an even wealthier man than he was last year, when he nearly topped the PGA's money list. Simpson gets $1.4 million out of an $8 million purse for his U.S. Open victory—and some endorsement deals, I'd imagine, besides. Michael Thompson and Graeme McDowell, the unlucky second-place finishers, only have $695,916 with which to salve their wounds.
Tiger Woods earns $86,348 for his 21st-place finish, while St. Louis native Scott Langley will take home $53,168, which probably sits a little heavier in his bank account than it would the other guys I just mentioned. The complete money list is available over at ESPN, but here are the top 10 (or so) finishers, for convenience's sake:
1. Webb Simpson—$1,440,000
2. Michael Thompson, Graeme McDowell—$695,916
4. Padraig Harrington, Jason Dufner, Jim Furyk, David Toms, John Peterson—$276,841
9. Ernie Els—$200,280
10. Retief Goosen, Lee Westwood, John Senden, Casey Wittenberg, Kevin Chappell—$163594