At the 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Sunday, Amy Yang won her maiden major championship and took home a first-place check of a record $1.56 million.
The $10.4 million total purse for this year's event at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington was the largest in LPGA major championship history. Yang earned over 10% of that record amount for her one-shot victory.
Amy Yang won the 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Championship (Image: Getty)
“I always wanted to win a major and I came close several times and I started doubting myself, if I was ever going to win a major before I retire,” Yang told NBC. “I’m so grateful and very, very happy to win a major.”
Lilia Vu, Jin Young Ko and Miyu Yamashita all tied for second place, finishing four shots back of Yang. They each took home $587,543 for their ties.
In total, 23 golfers earned more than $100,000 despite only 72 making the cut. Even those who missed the cut received $4,000, a standard payout on the LPGA Tour.
Ally Ewing and Lauren Hartlage tied for fifth, collecting $378,446 each. Mao Saigo and Hinako Shibuno tied for seventh, earning $267,436.
Several other big names finished near the top of the leaderboard and cashed sizable checks. Lexi Thompson, Linn Grant, Hae Ran Ryu, Caroline Inglis and Sarah Schmelzel all tied for ninth and took home $192,046 apiece.
The next 10 positions paid out between $150,871 and $105,966. Atthaya Thitikul and Yealimi Noh were among those tying for 52nd, earning $29,771 each.
While Yang received the largest first place payout of her career, a total of 73 golfers went home with prize money from the richest event in women's golf history. The 2024 KPMG Championship showed the increasing purses and opportunities in the LPGA Tour.
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What were the key moments in Amy Yang's victory
Yang had a slight lead heading into the final round, but he struggled with pressure and self-doubt throughout the day. She told her caddie it was the longest 18 holes of her career and questioned whether she would ever win a major before retiring due to anxiety.
Despite the nerves, Yang stayed positive by repeatedly telling herself to focus on controlling what she could and executing her game plan.
Her lead was threatened on holes 16 and 17 thanks to slip-ups, but she regained composure to close out the victory on the 72nd hole at Sahalee Country Club.
As Yang approached the 18th green, she was greeted by a huge crowd of friends, LPGA players and caddies ready to celebrate her first major title with champagne.
The win was especially meaningful for the 34-year-old Yang, who had 11 prior top-5 finishes in majors without success. She had started doubting a breakthrough would come.
In addition to the $1.56 million prize, Yang's victory also secured her spot on the South Korean Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Games.
How does the prize money for the 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Championship compare to previous years
The purse for the 2024 KPMG Women's PGA Championship was a record $10.4 million, up $400,000 from 2023. This represents a 360 percent increase since KPMG, the PGA of America, and the LPGA initially collaborated in 2015, when the purse was $2.25 million.
The winner's share of $1.56 million is the third highest first place prize on the 2024 LPGA schedule, making it the sixth LPGA event to offer over $1 million to the winner. This amount is more than 10% of golfer Amy Yang's total career earnings.
The increased prize money has helped raise the total purse for the LPGA's five major championships to $48 million, over 100% more than when the partnership began. The total prize money on the 2024 LPGA Tour is a record-breaking $125 million.
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