Prize money keeps going up at the women’s majors.
The Chevron Championship just bumped its purse an additional $1 million two days before the opening round to a record $9 million. Nelly Korda went wire-to-wire to claim the $1.35 million top prize.
Two days later, The R&A and title sponsor AIG announced yet another increase for the Women’s British Open to $10 million. That makes it the third LPGA major to hit eight figures, trailing only 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’s Women’s British Open, but what’s remarkable is that it’s the sixth consecutive year with a purse increase. The R&A and AIG partnership has transformed this event.
The Women’s British Open runs 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 just $3.25 million. Since the partnership began the next year, 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 is expanding the broadcast to provide 34 hours of coverage—the most of any women’s major.
Three extra hours are being added for weekday rounds. The Women’s British Open will be shown live for seven hours (5 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT) during the final two rounds—on Sky Sports and The R&A TV in the U.K., and across Golf Channel, USA Network and NBC in the United States.
Open season for former athletes
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will have to wait another year to make it to the U.S. Open. He shot 79 and missed out by 11 shots in the local qualifier in Waco, Texas.
Romo is among eight former athletes trying their luck through the first stage of qualifying for the June 15-18 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
The baseball contingent includes two-time All-Star reliever Tyler Clippard, pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa and outfielder Aaron Hicks. Also in the mix are tennis player Mardy Fish, former NFL running back Danny Woodhead, quarterback Drew Olson, and hockey player J.T. Miller.
Their 18-hole local qualifiers are next week at various courses, except for Hicks, who plays at Papago Golf Course in Phoenix on May 11.
Ryder Cup tickets for Irish residents
Another year, another round of concerns about Ryder Cup ticket prices. The cost of a daily ticket for the 2027 matches at Adare Manor in Ireland is $585. That’s cheaper than the $750 for Bethpage Black in 2025, though those tickets come with food and non-alcoholic beverages included.
The first batch of tickets went on sale exclusively for Irish residents. They sold out within an hour. Weekly tickets and practice round tickets vanished in under four hours.
PGA Championship deadline approaching
Keith Mitchell and Max Homa each received a sponsor exemption to the $20 million Cadillac Championship, and the timing couldn’t be better.
This is the final week to secure a spot in the PGA Championship by being among the top 70 on its points list, which is based on official PGA Tour earnings dating to Colonial the week after last year’s PGA Championship.
Mitchell sits at No. 73. Homa is right behind him at No. 74. There’s no cut at Doral, so both have a great opportunity to make a move. They’re both outside the top 100 in the world ranking—Mitchell at No. 108, Homa at No. 118—which the PGA of America typically uses to fill out what’s traditionally the strongest field of the majors.
Most everyone ahead or below them on the PGA points list is in reasonable shape through being among the top 100 in the world.
Ryder Cup takes on what makes a good captain
One of the more befuddling criticisms of Jim Furyk being appointed U.S. Ryder Cup captain again was his playing record in the matches. Furyk played on nine straight teams and compiled a 10-20-4 record while playing on just two winning teams.
But individual and team records don’t always correlate when it comes to captaincy success.
Tiger Woods was 13-21-3 while playing on one winning team. Steve Stricker captained the U.S. team that delivered the largest margin of victory against Europe, yet his playing record was just 3-7-1, including an 0-4 mark in his last appearance. And let’s not forget Paul Azinger, who led the U.S. to victory in 2008 and reshaped the qualifying system. His playing record? A modest 5-8-3.
Sam Torrance had a 7-16-6 record as a Ryder Cup player when he made all the right moves to lead Europe to victory in 2002.
Korn Ferry Tour to get its kicks on Route 66
The Korn Ferry Tour will be chasing some bonus money across Route 66 this summer.
Compliance Solutions is behind “The Route 66 Cup” that will offer a $100,000 bonus pool to the leading three players who earn the most points in four Korn Ferry Tour events along the historic highway.
It starts with the OccuNet Classic in Amarillo, Texas (June 11-14), then moves to the Memorial Health Championship in Springfield, Illinois (June 25-28), continues with the Evans Scholars Invitational in Glenview, Illinois (July 23-26) and wraps up with the Compliance Solutions Championship in Owasso, Oklahoma (Oct. 1-4).
The winner’s share will be $66,000.
Divots
Yani Tseng has accepted a special exemption to the U.S. Women’s Open on June 4-7 at Riviera. Tseng won five majors between 2008 and 2011 when she dominated women’s golf. Her best result at the Women’s Open was a tie for 10th. She withdrew after one round of The Chevron Championship… The Genesis Scottish Open has extended its contract to be held at The Renaissance Club through 2030. The course sits next to Muirfield, which last held the British Open in 2013—five years after The Renaissance Club opened… The R&A has announced the Women’s British Open will return to Sunningdale in 2028, the first time at the renowned Old Course since 2008… Jordan Spieth is at No. 50 in the world, his first time among the top 50 since Sept. 7. He needs to stay in the top 60 after the PGA Championship to avoid U.S. Open qualifying.
Stat of the week
Nelly Korda has played in the final group in all five of her starts this year on the LPGA. Dating to her rookie season in 2017, she has been in the final group 28 times. Next on the list since 2017 is Minjee Lee at 23.
Final word
“For me personally, it’s just under a major. Winning this together with Alex, that’s how special it feels.” — Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, on winning the Zurich Classic with his brother Alex, who now has a two-year PGA Tour exemption.
