Women’s golf has been on the rise, and the USGA has been committed to its growth. The highest paying major in women’s golf just became even more lucrative.

A long-term plan of the USGA has bloomed, with the organization having signed a presenting sponsor, first ProMedica and now Ally, to aid the investment into the championship. The surge in payout resulted from that plan.

“This year we’ll be playing for a purse of $12.5 million,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championship officer, as reported by Bunkered. 

On Wednesday, the USGA announced an increase of $500,000 in the overall purse for the 81st U.S. Women’s Open. 

“That’s an increase – I was a political science major, not a math major, but I’ll just put it out there – an increase of $500,000 from last year,” he added.

The total purse amount now stands at $12.5 million and will be up for grabs at the Riviera Country Club, just outside Los Angeles.

“And I must say that we’re quite proud of that, in that going back to 2022 when we really stepped up our purse and increased to $10 million, and that journey continues," Bodenhamer said. "We’re proud that it continues this year, and we’re proud to lead on that front as we lift the women’s game.”

Five years ago, the U.S Women’s Open had a purse of only $5.5 million. Subsequently, in 2022, the USGA nearly doubled it to $10 million. 

The winner of the major will take home $2.5 million this coming Sunday. The other women’s majors have also witnessed a massive surge in their payouts. 

Surge in Purses of Other Women’s Golf Majors

The LPGA is handing out a total of $132 million this season, an all-time high. In April, the Chevron Championship had its richest purse of $9 million, a one-million increase from last year.

“The women deserve to play with the monetary returns that we're providing, and the game is following, and we want to lift that side of it up," Bodenhamer stated. "The experience that the players have and how they can recover from a day on the golf course and all of those things."

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship went from a payout of $4.5 million in 2021 to $12 million last year. Similarly, the AIG Women’s Open now boasts a $9.755 million prize pool, marking a $5 million increase in five years. 

The Amundi Evian Championship had a total purse of $4.5 million in 2021, which rose to $8 million in 2025. Women’s golf is on the rise, and the USGA and LPGA have made notable contributions to its growth.

What are your thoughts on the rising prize payouts in women’s golf? Share them in the comments.

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Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Sijo Paul