Nelly Korda is in with a shot of completing the calendar grand slam this year and, with $21.5m in career prize money, her journey to superstar status in golf has been paved with gold.
Korda’s triumph at the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this month was worth $2.5m, from a total pot of $12.5m.
If she wins the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she will move in front of Lydia Ko and Annika Sorenstam to become the biggest earner in women’s golf history.
The Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota has officially overtaken the Open as the most lucrative event in women’s golf, announcing a $13m purse this week. If Korda wins, as she is the bookies’ favourite to do, she will take home $1.95m
Speaking to Front Office Sports, an industry publication, LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler said: “Nelly is a superstar, and we are doing everything we can to make sure the world knows it.”
When Korda turned professional and joined the LPGA in 2017, the tour’s total prize money across 34 events stood at $67.35 million.
Nine years on, that figure has nearly tripled. 33 events in 2026 carry a combined purse of $162 million.
As evidenced by Korda’s endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, Goldman Sachs and BMW, there is mass-market interest in the sport.
An average of 1.3m viewers watched Korda’s victory in the final round of the U.S. Open this year, with a peak of 2.2m. That was 78 per cent higher than last year, when Maja Stark was crowned champion in Erin Hills, Wisconsin.
