Prize money keeps going up at the women’s majors.
Two days after Nelly Korda went wire-to-wire to claim the $1.35 million top prize of the Chevron Championship, which had bumped its purse an additional $1 million to a record $9 million, the R&A and title sponsor AIG announced Tuesday yet another increase for the Women’s British Open to $10 million.
That makes it the third LPGA major to have an eight-figure prize fund, trailing the U.S. Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA at $12 million each.
It’s only a $250,000 bump from last year at the Women’s British Open, but the partnership between The R&A and AIG is startling because it’s the sixth consecutive year with a purse increase.
The Women’s British Open is July 29 through Aug. 2 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. The last time it was held on those Lancashire links was in 2018, when Georgia Hall won and the purse was $3.25 million. The partnership began the next year, and the purse has more than tripled.
“These consistent and sustainable investments in the prize fund clearly demonstrate The R&A and AIG’s commitment to elevating the championship on the global stage,” said Mark Darbon, the CEO of The R&A.
Along with more money, The R&A said the broadcast is being expanded to provide the most viewing (34 hours) of any of the women’s majors.
Three extra hours are being added for the weekday round. The Women’s British Open will be shown live for seven hours (5 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT) for the final two rounds – on Sky Sports and The R&A TV in the U.K., and a combination of Golf Channel, USA Network and NBC in the United States.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
