Leona Maguire excited as US Women's Open purse almost doubles to $10m
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire yesterday expressed her delight as the USGA announced the US Women’s Open purse will almost double to $10 million (€8.8 m) this year.
Backed by presenting sponsor ProMedica, they hope to increase it to $11 million and eventually $12 million over the next five years.
“Things you love to see,” the Co Cavan star said on social media. “BIG day for women’s golf.”
It’s the first major move by the USGA’s new CEO Mike Whan, who was LPGA Commissioner until this summer, who along with a major increase in the prize fund also announced the event will be staged at some of the classic US Open courses such as Oakmont, Riviera, Pinehurst No. 2, Oakland Hills, Merion, Inverness and Interlachen.
“The USGA prides itself on conducting championships that not only provide an incredible stage for the athletes, but also give younger players something to dream about,” Whan said.
“For more than 75 years, the US Women’s Open has been the one that every little girl, in every country around the world, has dreamed of winning.”
This year’s championship takes place at Pine Needles Lodge in North Carolina from June 2-5 and Maguire can’t wait to tee it up at a course she played often when in college at Duke University.
Yuka Saso won at Olympic Club last year when the prize fund was $5.5m but world No. 42 Maguire has her sights set on following in her footsteps in June after failing to qualify last year.
“I've missed out on the US Open by one spot the last two years and I wanted to make sure I qualified for Pine Needles,” Leona said of one of her big goals for 2022.
"It's somewhere we went in college, coach used to bring us during spring break to Pinehurst No 2 and Pine Needles.
"North Carolina has a special place in my heart so it will be nice to go back and play there, it's been two years, I played the Symetra event there in '19 and yeah, really looking forward to that one, I think it will be a fantastic venue, as will all the venues.”
US Women’s Open future sites: 2022 Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club; 2023 Pebble Beach Golf Links; 2024 Lancaster Country Club; 2025 Erin Hills; 2026 The Riviera Country Club; 2027 Inverness Club; 2028 & 2038 Oakmont Country Club; 2029 Pinehurst Resort & Country Club; 2030 Interlachen Country Club; 2031 & 2042 Oakland Hills Country Club; 2034 & 2046 Merion Golf Club.
