Women’s PGA Championship Doubles Its Prize Purse

The prize purses for the LPGA Tour have made yet another major step in the right direction.

On Tuesday, the LPGA Tour, PGA of America, and KPMG announced that this week’s Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional will have a $9 million prize purse — twice the amount of last year’s event. The winner’s cut will be increased to $1.35 million.

The prize purse is a 300% increase from 2014 ($2.25 million).

The news builds on major recent momentum in women’s golf, as well as helps close the pay gap between the men’s and women’s major prize purses. 

• In 2021, the pay gap between the prize purses was $7.5 million.
• Last month’s men’s PGA Championship doled out $15 million. 
• This year, the prize purse gap has closed to $6 million.

The Women’s PGA Championship isn’t the only one to increase its purse. The women’s U.S. Open also increased to $10 million, with the winner receiving $1.8 million — the largest in the history of women’s golf.

“Through the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, we are accelerating the advancement, development and empowerment of women both on and off the golf course,” Paul Knopp, KPMG U.S. Chair and CEO, said in a statement.