A 'Breakthrough Moment' - US Women's Open To Feature Record $11m Purse

The prize fund for the US Open has been increased by $1m, making the purse at Pebble Beach the largest ever in the women's game

Minjee Lee
Minjee Lee with the trophy after winning the 2022 US Open at Pine Needles
(Image credit: Getty Images)

No incentive is required to put on a show at a Major Championship, especially one being played at Pebble Beach for the very first time, but the best female golfers on the planet now know they’ll also be competing for the largest prize money payout in women’s golf at this week’s US Women’s Open.

The announcement had been expected, and it can now be confirmed that the 2023 Women’s US Open will be double the size of the purse of the 2021 Championship. At $11m, it’s been raised by $1 from 2022, and has been described by USGA CEO Mike Whan as a “breakthrough moment”.

“Talking about 12 hours of network TV and playing for $11 million, some things are better than what you dream of,” said the USGA chief. “When you go back 10 or 15 years ago, those are pretty big moments, and I hope that all of us aren't both so callused and in a hurry and iPhone-driven that we've missed that kind of breakthrough moment.”

The winner of the 78th US Women’s Open will take home $2m, which is $200,000 more than Minjee Lee claimed a year ago at Pine Needles.

Ruoning Yin

Ruoning Yin poses with the trophy after winning the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Last month, China's Ruoning Yin banked $1.5m for winning the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, with the field competing for a total purse of $10m. And in April, Lilia Vu took a $765,000 share of the $5.1m up for grabs at the 2023 Chevron Championship. 

There is still some way to go before the men and women play for the same prize money, something the US Open in tennis achieved in 1973 – but that gap is closing.

In June, Wyndham Clark banked $3.6m for his US Open victory, with the field playing for a total purse of $20m, the first time a Major Championship has passed that landmark sum. Consequently, the top 38 players secured six and seven-figure sums, with McIlroy getting over $2m for finishing second.

However, the USGA is still focused on reaching equal prize money. “Equality takes on a lot of different meanings to us, not just the purse,” USGA president Fred Perpall said.

“But I think if we keep working on that process, eventually we get more eyeballs. We get more interest. We have the economics rise. And then it's easier for the purse to rise, too.

“Some of this is part of the process, and some of it is part of the journey and not only the destination. I think we're focused much more on the process to get to that level of equality.”

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Michael Weston
Contributing editor

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. As a multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the men's European Championships, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers, and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's now a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including six world number ones, and has attended and reported on many Major Championships and Ryder Cups. He's a member of Formby Golf Club.