$12M purse ups ante at Women's PGA Championship

The Women's PGA Championship raised the purse of the major tournament to $12 million, matching last month's U.S. Women's Open for the biggest purse of the season.

To boot, the winner of the 156-player field at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Texas this week will pocket $1.8 million.

The purse was $10.4 million at last year's Women's PGA Championship.

"We're incredibly proud to be able to do that," said Paul Knopp, the KPMG chair and CEO, of the boost in the purse, per Golf Digest. "It's all part of creating a standard of excellence in women's golf. The purse is a hugely important part of that.

"... We look at it as the ultimate strategy when we think about the excellence we're trying to bear to bring success. We continue to play this tournament on iconic courses that are recognized by the golf community every year. ... We're excited about where we're going."

Amy Yang of South Korea held off the field at the Women's PGA Championship for her first career major title last year at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

Yang carded a 7-under 281 for the tournament to defeat Lilia Vu, Jin Young Ko of South Korea and Miyu Yamashita of Japan by three shots.

--Field Level Media