The LPGA’s CME Group Tour Championship begins Thursday with $7 million in prize money, the biggest prize of the season outside of a major championship.
Next year, that number will increase even more.
In 2024, the LPGA’s season-ending event will pay out $11 million, including a $4 million check to the winner. The total prize money will match that of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open, and the winner’s share will be double this weekend’s prize money. That’s the same amount as the $4 million awarded to the winner of many of the PGA Tour’s signature events and LIV Golf’s cash-rich tournaments.
It’s also the richest of any men’s major awarded to the 2023 winner.
Additional funding was provided by title sponsor CME Group, which extended the contract through 2025.
The company isn’t the only sponsor stepping up to support women’s golf this year. Ally is reportedly close to a deal with the U.S. Women’s Open, while KPMG and AIG have their respective deals with the Women’s PGA Championship and British Women’s Open as funding continued to increase overall this year. was extended.
Not just golf
Women’s soccer has also seen an influx of new money this year, highlighted by a new $240 million media rights deal with the NWSL starting next season. League expansion costs tend to exceed $50 million.
Internationally, the Women’s FA Cup has doubled its prize money to more than $7 million, and Football Australia has increased the salaries of women’s national team players.