Power of Caring
  presented by CIGNA

Because of the four-year, $800 million television contract signed by the PGA Tour and the networks earlier this year, tournament purses could double in 1999, when the new deal kicks in. However, at least 18 tournaments have announced increases in prize money for 1998, and most of the others will soon follow suit. Here's how the five tournaments that have increased their purses the most—the Bob Hope Classic, the GTE Byron Nelson Classic, the Phoenix Open, the Nissan Open and the Buick Invitational—ranked on Tour this year and how they stack up in 1998.

Event	'97 Purse/Rank	'98 Purse/Rank	'98 Winner's Share
Hope	$1.5 million/T-19	$2.3 million/8	$414,000
Phoenix	$1.5 million/T-19	$2.2 million/T-9	$396,000
BUICK	$1.5 million/T-19	$2.1 million/T-12	$378,000
NISSAN	$1.4 million/35	$2.1 million/T-12	$378,000
Nelson	$1.8 million/T-12	$2.5 million/T-6	$450,000

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Issue date: December 8, 1997