KPMG saw the historic $12.5 million purse that the USGA staked earlier this month at the U.S. Women’s Open and has decided to raise it by a half million.
Momentum for women’s major championship prize money has been building over the last five years but Monday’s news of a $13 million purse at Hazeltine National Golf Club for this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is certainly the biggest domino to fall.
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The tournament played for just $3.5 million as recently as 2017, hitting the $12 million mark last year and making it officially a 271% increase in prize money since 2015.
“We’re so proud to increase our investment and support the female athletes behind this sport,” said Tim Walsh, chair and CEO of KPMG U.S. “Yes, the purse is an incredible aspect of this championship but it is just one investment we’re making: This will be the most tech-forward event on the LPGA Tour … ‘The Players Reel’ will enable players to look back over each shot and each hole and change up strategy using analytics and AI insights.”
“The momentum that we’re seeing as a whole — this wouldn’t happen if you didn’t believe in where it’s going,” added Terry Clark, the CEO of PGA of America.
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Minjee Lee enters Minnesota as the reigning KPMG Women’s PGA champion but faces the task of stopping world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who has yet to lose a major event this year.
LPGA Tour commissioner Craig Kessler also spoke about the record-setting purse on Golf Central. He told Golf Channel’s Amy Rogers that the “energy is off the charts” at Hazeltine this week.
“We’re absolutely having a moment,” Kessler said, noting how proud he was of world No. 1 Nelly Korda for her recent media tour in New York City after winning the 2026 Women’s U.S. Open.
“It takes that kind of participation from our athletes to become stars and that’s when audiences begin to fall in love with those stars and tune in,” Kessler said. “We’re very grateful for Nelly and her peers for all they’re doing.”
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Nelly Korda is in pursuit of her third-straight major victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this week.
A look at how the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship purse has grown over the years:
KPMG Purse growth
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