The LPGA Tour is following the trend of the men’s game and leaning in to the sentiment of “show me the money.”

Bill Kennedy, Golf Columnist

Clearly, the prize money on the PGA Tour has increased because of the competition from the LIV Tour. The LPGA appears to have taken a hint from that development, because the $12 million in prize money at its US Open from May 30-June 2 at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania was the largest in women’s golf history.

Yuka Saso, a 22-year-old from Japan, was the beneficiary of this “cash cow” after shooting 4-under to win the championship. Going into the tournament, she was No. 50 on the LPGA Tour money list at $208,366, but that number ballooned because the Open’s championship prize was $2.4 million.

Saso jumped from 50th into second place on the tour, ranking only behind Nelly Korda at $2.9 million-plus. Saso maintains dual citizenships as a Japanese and Filipino golfer, because her mother is a native of the Philippine Islands. It was her second LPGA U.S. Open championship, the only two PGA Tour titles in her young career, with the other one being in 2021.

At Lancaster, even the runner-up, Hinako Shibuno, also from Japan, made $1,296.000. She was the only other player in the field to finish under par, at minus-1. She is the sole Japanese LPGA player to win the British Open (2019).

More proof of the increased cash flow is in the fact that the least amount made among the 75 players who made the cut was $20,920. In addition, there was a report that the players who did not make the cut received $10,000.

AND ANOTHER SWING

There is one very noticeable thing about the LPGA Tour that is not as prominent on the PGA or champions tours: The players all have perfect golf swings. The men’s tours cannot say that. Sure, the men are more accurate, especially in putting, and they are a lot longer off the tee and fairway. But how often do you hear an LPGA Tour pro say something like: “I needed to fix my swing” — words often heard from the lips of men.

They also may do that on the LPGA Tour, but their adjustments are minor compared to the players on the men’s tour. At least that is the way it appears to a golf columnist who watches his golf on TV.

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Jace Pearson of Martindale was the only area player to finish among the top 10 at the Maine Golf Mid-Amateur from May 31-June 1 at Webhannet. He shot 73-70—143 to finish in a tie for seventh.

In the top 25 were two Portland players who used to be Martindale members, Curt Jordan and Andrew Slattery. Jordan carded 74-72—146 to gain a tie for 12th, while Slattery, a former Maine Amateur champ, had 75-74—149 to tie for 25th.

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Maine Golf has scheduled a women’s play day June 11 at Fogg Brook, while a men’s play day is June 14 at Kezar Lake.