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The U.S. Women’s Open tees off Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links with a record purse of $11 million. On Sunday, the winner will take home $2 million — $200,000 more than the $1.8 million defending champion Minjee Lee won last year from the $10 million pot.
USGA CEO Mike Whan said the goal is to eventually up the purse to $12 million — which should be easier when a new presenting sponsor comes on board. ProMedica’s backing of the 2022 event was a major factor in last year’s huge purse increase from $5.5 million but the company was released from its contract after suffering financial issues.
This year’s edition will be a tournament of firsts — starting with the Women’s Open initial run at stunning Pebble Beach, which has hosted six men’s U.S. Opens and will welcome three more women’s championships over the next two and a half decades.
The weekend will also mark the first women’s major to air in primetime on network television. In total, NBC will have 12 hours of coverage on Saturday and Sunday after USA Network has first and second round coverage in primetime on Thursday and Friday.
Changing Of The Guard
While this is the first U.S. Women’s Open for 20-year-old phenom Rose Zhang — who won her LPGA debut last month before finishing T-8 at the Women’s PGA Championship — it will be the last for women’s golf pioneer Michelle Wie West. The 33-year-old won the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst and a total of five LPGA events but has battled injuries throughout her career.
