The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is providing a stern test for players, with many big names missing the cut and two-time Major winner Stacy Lewis even suggesting the Fields Ranch East setup is hindering the appeal of the women’s game because of the knock-on effect of slow play.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that the players will feel they have earned whatever prize money they secure by the end of the tournament. The good news is that the players will be well compensated, with a record purse on offer at the tournament.
In 2024, winner Amy Yang took home $1.56m of the $10.4m prize money, but this year, it increases by $1.6m, taking it to $12m, an identical sum to the US Women’s Open purse. Meanwhile, it’s $4m more than the opening women’s Major of the year, the Chevron Championship, where Mao Saigo won $1.2m.
The $12m purse on offer at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is the latest significant leap of prize money, and almost three times the purse at the event just four years ago, when champion Nelly Korda won $675,000 from a payout of $4.5m.
In contrast, this year’s winner will claim $1.8m. While that is a huge and potentially life-saving sum, it is still $600,000 less than the $2.4m Maja Stark earned for her victory at the US Women’s Open.
