The third women’s Major of the year, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will have a record purse in the latest sign of the women's game's rapid growth.
The tournament comes from Sahalee Country Club for the first time in eight years and just the second time overall. Back then, Brooke Henderson, who was just 18 at the time, claimed her maiden Major title after beating Lydia Ko in a playoff to become the youngest-ever winner of the tournament.
In that 2016 edition, Henderson, who has been honored with a plaque for her achievement, claimed prize money of $525,000 from an overall purpose of $3.5m. However, in the latest statement of just how much the women’s game has grown over recent years, it has been announced that this year’s prize money payout will be almost $7m more than that figure at a record $10.4m.
That’s also $400,000 more than the 2023 edition of the tournament at Baltusrol Golf Club, which was won by Ruoning Yin, who earned $1.5m. The 2024 purse is also $5.9m more than just three years ago, when Nelly Korda claimed the title.
The announcement also means that the full-season total on the LPGA Tour now stands at over $125m, a 75% increase from 2021.
The purse is going 🆙!There's now $10,400,000 up for grabs at the @KPMGWomensPGA 🏆That brings the full season total on the LPGA Tour to more than $125 million, a more than 75% increase since 2021! 📈 pic.twitter.com/ybeVxgx2VzJune 18, 2024
The tournament will offer the second-highest payout of the three Majors so far after the Chevron Championship's $7.9m and the US Women’s Open’s $12m – a record for a women’s tournament. The winner of the event will claim prize money of $1.56m, making it the sixth tournament in LPGA Tour history to award the victor over $1m.
KPMG and the LPGA first partnered in 2015, and since then, the purse has increased by 360%. LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan acknowledged the importance of the partnership in helping to raise the profile of the women’s game so much in recent years. Per LPGA.com, she said: “I don't think you can talk about the growth of the LPGA over the last decade without saying the words KPMG.
“I think bringing the PGA of America, KPMG, and LPGA together, we've created something that has been a catalyst. Going from $2.25m to $10.4m this year, 360% growth, it's not just about the money.
“It's that the world is showing the value they place and that KPMG and the PGA of America places on the talent that we have out here. These are the best women in the world, and they should be paid commensurate with that talent. What we've done has truly instigated and been a catalyst to others moving there.”
Who Are The Star Names In The KPMG Women's PGA Championship?
While Ruoning Yin is the defending champion and Brooke Henderson is hoping to replicate her heroics of 2016 at the same course, most of the attention will inevitably be on Nelly Korda. She has been in stunning form in 2024 with six victories, although she is looking to bounce back from a mini blip that has seen her miss the cut in her last two starts.
The American won the Major in 2021, and she is hoping for a second title in one of the big events this year after earlier claiming the Chevron Championship title.
Other former winners in the field include 2023 champion Ruoning Yin, 2020 winner Sei Young Kim, Hannah Green, who won in 2019, Danielle Kang, Yani Tseng, Cristie Kerr and Anna Nordqvist.
Lydia Ko, who Henderson beat in 2016 in a playoff, remains just one point away from entering the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. A win this week would get over the line.
Lilia Vu also plays after getting her season firmly back on track after beating Grace Kim and Lexi Thompson at the Meijer LPGA Classic following a back injury, while Thompson also plays in what could be her final KPMG PGA Championship after she announced plans to retire from full-time professional golf at the end of the season.
Where Is The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship?
The 2024 edition of the Major takes place at Sahalee Country Club in Washington for just the second time and the first since Brooke Henderson became the youngest-ever winner of the tournament in 2016.
Is The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship A Major?
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is one of the five women’s Majors and the third in the calendar. The other four are the Chevron Championship, the US Women’s Open, the AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship.
