The US Women’s Open is considered the most prestigious event in women’s golf. It’s only fitting, then, that the championship, played this week for the 75th time, had a purse that reflected its status. For the second straight year, the USGA offered a $US5.5 million to the field competing in the national championship. And for the second straight year, the winner, South Korea’s A Lim Kim, earned $US1 million ($1.3m) for her victory.
The only women’s tournament with a larger prize for the winner is the CME Group Tour Championship, which will conclude the 2020 LPGA season next week. In 2019, the winner of that event received $1.5 million from an overall purse of $5 million. The event has changed its structure slightly in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the winner earning $1.1 million from an overall purse of $3 million.
But spare a thought for Australian amateur Gabriela Ruffels, who produced yet another stunning performance in a Major championship. The 20-year-old Ruffels, a senior at the University of Southern California, finished tied-13th after closing with a one-under-par 70 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.
With six birdies, the Melbourne-schooled Ruffels vaulted up almost 20 places to be the leading Australian of the six in the field but, because of her amateur status, misses out on a cheque for $US96,800 ($128,000) for her T13 finish.
Despite the cashless week, it improves upon her previous best finish in a Major – tied-15th at the ANA Inspiration this year – and consolidates her status as one of the most promising Australian players of recent times.
Ruffels shot scores of 71-72-76-70 to finish five-over, eight from the winning score of three-under by South Korea’s A Lim Kim.
“It’s been awesome,” said Ruffels, who last year won the US Amateur. “I feel like any time I can kind of mix it with the pros and know that I can compete against them it’s a great week. I feel like I did that this week and just gained a lot of confidence.”
Anyway, here are the prizemoney payouts for each professional golfer who made the cut this week at Champions Golf Club (72 professionals who missed the cut each get $US4,000). For the record: With a pair of amateurs on the leaderboard, any money an amateur would make is re-distributed to the other professionals in the field.
[All figures in US dollars]
Win, A Lim Kim, -3, $1,000,000
T-2, Jin Young Ko, -2, $487,286
T-2, Amy Olson, -2, $487,286
4, Hinako Shibuno, -1, $266,779
5, Megan Khang, +1, $222,201
T-6, Inbee Park, +2, $177,909
T-6, Jeongeun Lee6,+2, $177,909
T–6, Moriya Jutanugarn, +2, $177,909
T-9, Ariya Jutanugarn,+3, $143,976
T-9, Kaitlyn Papp, +2, Amateur
T-11, Sayaka Takahashi, +4, $126,465
T-11, Minyoung2 Lee,+4, $126,465
T-13, Yuka Saso,+5, $96,800
T-13, Eri Okayama,+5, $96,800
T-13, Gabriela Ruffels, +5, Amateur
T-13, Linnea Strom,+5, $96,800
T-13, Maja Stark, +5, Amateur
T-13, Hae Ran Ryu, +5, $96,800
T-13, Lydia Ko, +5, $96,800
T-20, So Yeon Ryu, +6, $74,219
T-20, Sei Young Kim,+6, $74,219
T-20, Ally Ewing, +6, $74,219
T-23, Linn Grant, +7, Amateur
T-23, Sarah Schmelzel,+7, $55,526
T-23, Nasa Hataoka,+7, $55,526
T-23, Jenny Shin, +7, $55,526
T-23, Jessica Korda, +7, $55,526
T-23, Cristie Kerr, +7, $55,526
T-23, Chella Choi,+7, $55,526
T-30, Madelene Sagstrom,+8, $36,915
T-30, Lauren Stephenson, +8, $36,915
T-30, Jennifer Kupcho,+8, $36,915
T-30, Hyejin Choi, +8, $36,915
T-30, Bronte Law, +8, $36,915
T-30, Cheyenne Knight, +8, $36,915
T-30, Ashleigh Buhai,+8, $36,915
T-30, Ingrid Lindblad, +8, Amateur
T-30, Charley Hull, +8, $36,915
T-30, Ji Yeong Kim2,+8, $36,915
T-40, Hannah Green, +9, $27,067
T-40, Perrine Delacour, +9, $27,067
T-40, Sophia Popov, +9, $27,067
T-40, Yealimi Noh, +9, $27,067
T-44, Stacy Lewis, +10, $23,576
T-44, Brooke Henderson,+10, $23,576
T-46, Brittany Lincicome, +11, $19,570
T-46, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, +11, Amateur
T-46, Lizette Salas, +11, $19,570
T-46, Lindsey Weaver, +11, $19,570
T-46, Gaby Lopez, +11, $19,570
T-46, Minjee Lee, +11, $19,570
T-52, Seon Woo Bae, +12, $15,736
T-52, Danielle Kang, +12, $15,736
T-54, Anna Nordqvist, +13, $13,447
T-54, Azahara Munoz, +13, $13,447
T-54, Mone Inami, +13, $13,447
T-54, Jennifer Song,+13, $13,447
T-58, Pernilla Lindberg, +14, $12,360
T-58, Mi Hyang Lee, +14, $12,360
60, Yui Kawamoto, +15, $12,131
T-61, Mamiko Higa, +16, $11,960
T-61, Mina Harigae, +16, $11,960
T-63, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, +17, $11,731
T-63, Narin An, +17, $11,731
65, Kana Mikashima, +19, $11,559
66, Su Oh, +20, $11,445
– Additional reporting by Martin Blake (golf.org.au).
