Haeran Ryu Wins Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine for First Major Title at Record $13 Million Purse

Haeran Ryu of South Korea won the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota on Sunday, claiming her first Major title and the $1.95 million first-place check from a record $13 million purse — the largest in women’s golf history.

Ryu entered the final round at 11-under par, one stroke ahead of Canadian Brooke Henderson, and held on through difficult late-round conditions to close it out. Nelly Korda, who was looking for her third Women’s Major in three years, could not make the late charge she needed.

The Biggest Purse Women’s Golf Has Ever Seen

The $13 million total prize fund broke the previous record for a women’s Major and reflects how rapidly investment in women’s professional golf has accelerated over the past three years. Ryu’s $1.95 million winner’s check is larger than what Major champions received on the women’s tour just five years ago in total purse prizes.

Hazeltine National has hosted some of golf’s biggest events, including the 1970 and 1991 US Opens and the 2002 and 2016 Ryder and PGA Championships. It’s a venue with genuine weight to it, and winning here matters in a way that goes beyond the scoreboard.

Ryu’s Path to a First Major

Haeran Ryu turned professional in 2021 and has been a consistent top-10 threat on the LPGA Tour without breaking through at a Major. She had a near-miss at the AIG Women’s Open two years ago and has spent the last 18 months refining her approach play, which showed this week with three sub-68 rounds before the final day.

South Korean players have dominated women’s Major golf for more than a decade. Ryu joins a long list of Korean champions at the top level, but this one is hers specifically — not a continuation of a narrative, but the start of one.

Henderson and the Leaderboard

Brooke Henderson’s runner-up finish at 10-under gives the Canadian star another near-miss at a Major, though she remains one of the most consistent performers in women’s golf. Ina Yoon, who led after 36 holes, struggled on Saturday and couldn’t recover fully on Sunday. Nelly Korda finished at 7-under, tied sixth through three rounds, too far back to mount a realistic challenge.

Ryu is the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner — her first Major, at a record purse, on one of American golf’s most significant courses.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)

What is the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship?

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is one of the five Majors in women’s professional golf, sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the PGA of America. The 2026 edition at Hazeltine National carried a record purse of $13 million, with Haeran Ryu of South Korea claiming the title on June 28, 2026.

References

NBC Sports. (2026). KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 2026: Haeran Ryu wins her first ever Major at Hazeltine. Published June 28, 2026.

NBC Sports. (2026). 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship prize money: Full purse payout at Hazeltine. Published June 28, 2026.