The effort to bridge the gender pay gap in professional golf was on full show at Royal Porthcawl with the AIG Women’s British Open raising the bar.
In a historic achievement for women’s golf, the R&A announced a record $9.75million purse for the 2025 Open and the latest major of the year at the iconic Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in South Wales.
The purse for the event has increased every year, with the $10million barrier next to be surpassed as this weekend’s event saw a $750,000 increase from 2024.
The AIG and R&A partnership, formed in 2019, is proving revolutionary for women’s golf – the historic stakes have produced a landmark winner.
It was 24-year-old Miyu Yamashita of Japan who built on her solid 2025 season to capture a maiden LPGA title – and first major – with a composed finish at Porthcawl.
She ruthlessly closed out her first-ever win, carding rounds of 68-65-74-70 to finish at eight under par and secure a historic major title, having missed the cut in the event last year.
And if closing out a major tournament wasn’t enough, her victory secured the largest winner’s pay cheque in tournament history: $1,462,500.
So close yet so far for Charley Hull
Just two strokes behind the champion, England’s Charley Hull and Minami Katsu of Japan finished level at nine under par after their enduring battle to share runner-up honours and each claim $772,391 in earnings.
For Hull, it marks her fifth top-three major finish as she edges ever closer to a much-anticipated major crown.
A Lim Kim and Rio Takeda tied for fourth at -7 to claim $452,217 apiece and round off the top finishers.
Lottie Woad, a pre-tournament hopeful who only recently turned professional, managed four under and a tie for eighth as the English star claimed $228,359 in winnings.
Prize money for each player at the 2025 AIG Women’s Open Championship:
1. Miyu Yamashita (-11) – $1,462,500
T2. Charley Hull (-9) – $772,391
T2. Minami Katsu (-9) – $772,391
T4. A Lim Kim (-7) – $452,217
T4. Rio Takeda (-7) – $452,217
T6. Megan Khang (-6) – $302,157
T6. Wei Ling Hsu (-6) – $302,157
T8. Steph Kyriacou (-4) – $228,359
T8. Lottie Woad (-4) – $228,359
T8. Paula Martin Sampedro (AMATEUR) (-4) – $0
T11. Andrea Lee (-3) – $188,993
T11. Mao Saigo (-3) – $188,993
T13. Chiara Tamburlini (-2) – $145,533
T13. Hyo Joo Kim (-2) – $145,533
T13. Minjee Lee (-2) – $145,533
T13. Sei Young Kim (-2) – $145,533
T13. Lauren Coughlin (-2) – $145,533
T13. Pajaree Anannarukarn (-2) – $145,533
T19. Georgia Hall (-1) – $112,489
T19. Mimi Rhodes (-1) – $112,489
T19. Yan Liu (-1) – $112,489
T19. Linn Grant (-1) – $112,489
T23. Jenny Shin (E) – $91,298
T23. Ariya Jutanugarn (E) – $91,298
T23. Morgan Metraux (E) – $91,298
T23. Esther Henseleit (E) – $91,298
T23. Celine Boutier (E) – $91,298
T23. Haeran Ryu (E) – $91,298
T23. Jinhee Im (E) – $91,298
T30. Anna Nordqvist (+1) – $74,358
T30. Atthaya Thitikul (+1) – $74,358
T30. Narin An (+1) – $74,358
T33. Ayaka Furue (+2) – $65,500
T33. Nasa Hataoka (+2) – $65,500
T33. Alexa Pano (+2) – $65,500
T36. Sarah Schmelzel (+3) – $57,632
T36. Lydia Ko (+3) – $57,632
T36. Nelly Korda (+3) – $57,632
39. In Gee Chun (+4) – $52,710
T40. Darcey Harry (+5) – $45,330
T40. Madelene Sagstrom (+5) – $45,330
T40. Casandra Alexander (+5) – $45,330
T40. Angel Yin (+5) – $45,330
T40. Akie Iwai (+5) – $45,330
T40. Shannon Tan (+5) – $45,330
T46. Ilhee Lee (+6) – $36,719
T46. Diksha Dagar (+6) – $36,719
T46. Lindy Duncan (+6) – $36,719
T46. Brooke Matthews (+6) – $36,719
T50. Bronte Law (+7) – $30,667
T50. Ashleigh Buhai (+7) – $30,667
T50. Amy Yang (+7) – $30,667
T50. Mi Hyang Lee (+7) – $30,667
T50. Stacy Lewis (+7) – $30,667
T55. Kristen Gillman (+8) – $26,633
T55. Emma Spitz (+8) – $26,633
T55. Manon De Roey (+8) – $26,633
T58. Chisato Iwai (+9) – $23,191
T58. Yuri Yoshida (+9) – $23,191
T58. Arpichaya Yubol (+9) – $23,191
T58. Carla Bernat (AMATEUR) (+9) – $0
T58. Mary Liu (+9) – $23,191
T63. Perrine Delacour (+11) – $20,485
T63. Leona Maguire (+11) – $20,485
T63. Patty Tavatanakit (+11) – $20,485
T63. Yani Tseng (+11) – $20,485
T67. Laura Fuenfstueck (+12) – $19,006
T67. Grace Kim (+12) – $19,006
T69. Dasom Ma (+15) – $18,024
T69. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (+15) – $18,024
71. Jeneath Wong (AMATEUR) (+17) – $0
The prize pot is multiplying
The ever-growing prize purse for the Women’s Open Championship is showing no signs of slowing down, with it jumping year on year.
The past decade has seen improvements in all facets of the women’s game, rewarded with purses increasing at a staggering rate:
2015 – $3,000,000
2016 – $3,000,000
2017 – $3,250,000
2018 – $3,250,000
2019 – $4,500,000
2020 – $4,500,000
2021 – $5,800,000
2022 – $7,300,000
2023 – $9,000,000
2024 – $9,000,000
2025 – $9,750,000
The AIG Women’s Open Championship is now one of women’s golf’s biggest paydays behind the Women’s PGA Championship and U.S. Women’s Open, which sit at $12 million each.
