Nelly Korda Nears Top Spot in LPGA Career Earnings With $2.5M Payday

Nelly Korda climbed to No. 3 all-time on the LPGA’s career earnings list with her U.S. Women’s Open victory Sunday in the tournament’s first time being played at the iconic Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Korda’s second consecutive major championship title—and fourth of her career—came with a women’s major record $2.5 million winner’s check from the tournament’s increased $12.5 million purse—the richest in women’s golf.

That vaulted the No. 1-ranked golfer’s career earnings to $21.5 million, becoming the fifth woman to surpass the $20 million mark.

Here’s where the LPGA all-time money list stands:

• No. 1: Annika Sorenstam, $22.6 million
• No. 2: Lydia Ko, $21.8 million
• No. 3: Nelly Korda, $21.5 million
• No. 4: Karrie Webb, $20.3 million
• No. 5: Cristie Kerr, $20.2 million

Korda has already made $5.4 million on the golf course this season, with four victories in just eight starts, including the first major of the year, the Chevron Championship, which came with a $1.35 million first-place prize and helped Korda reclaim the No. 1 ranking from Jeeno Thitikul. 

Later this month, Korda will be the betting favorite at the third LPGA major of the year, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which last year paid out $1.8 million to its winner, Minjee Lee, from a $12 million purse. A victory at Hazeltine National Golf Club, the site of this year’s tournament, would boost Korda to No. 1 in all-time LPGA earnings.

With the U.S. Women’s Open title, Korda is also now in position to win the LPGA’s career grand slam, which the tour deems as capturing four of its five majors—the U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s PGA Championship, Women’s Open (formerly the Women’s British Open), Chevron Championship, and Evian Championship. 

Korda has yet to win the Women’s Open or Evian. If she were to ever win both, she would be the second player to complete the LPGA’s super career grand slam, joining Karrie Webb in accomplishing the feat. Six other LPGA players have won the career grand slam.

Last year, Rory McIlroy became the sixth male golfer to complete the career grand slam—winning all four men’s majors—with his first Masters victory.