Biggest prize in a women’s tournament: $1.5 million for the winner

A $1.5 million prize, the largest in the history of women’s golf in a 72-hole no-cut stroke play tournament. That’s what’s at stake this week in the grand finale of the LPGA Tour season, to be played at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. The U.S. Women’s Tour dresses up to host the CME Group Tour Championship, which has doubled its prize purse this year to five million dollars, with half a million dollars for the winner, who will also pocket the million-dollar bonus of the Race to CMB Globe.

Another significant change in the tournament affects the number of players who will compete in it: 60 instead of the 72 that were playing until last year. The system to qualify for the million dollar bonus of the Race to CMB Globe has also changed. If before only the top twelve players with the most points in the ranking before the last tournament of the season had the chance to win this bonus, this year all 60 competitors in the Tour Championship have the option to pocket that million dollars, since this amount will go directly to the winner of the competition and will be added to the half million that is endowed with the first place in the tournament.

Korea’s Jin Young Ko, the outstanding leader in the Race to CMB Globe (with nearly double the points of the second-place finisher), has a chance this week to emulate Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and become only the second player to win the Rolex Player of the Year Award, the Vare Trophy for the lowest average score of the season, the Rolex Annika Major Award and the LPGA Money Title while finishing the season as the world number one. Jutanugarn did it last year.

Ko has had an extraordinary season, with four wins, two second places and a third. Her earnings total 2.7 million dollars this year, and 3.8 in the two seasons she has been on the LPGA Tour. She is 24 years old and started playing golf at the age of 7.

American Lexi Thompson is the defending champion. Azahara Muñoz and Carlota Ciganda will be the only two Spaniards in the last tournament of the LPGA Tour season.