JM Eagle chairman and CEO Walter Wang announced a $1 million purse boost for this week's JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, making it the richest LPGA event outside majors and the CME Group Tour Championship. The increase raises the total purse from $3.75 million to $4.75 million, with the winner now earning $712,500. Wang shared the news live on Golf Channel during Saturday's third round.
Wang joined Golf Channel broadcaster Grant Boone in the booth to deliver the announcement. “I’d like to make an announcement,” Wang said. “Our purse, you said earlier, this year is $3.75 million. So I’d like to increase the purse by a million dollars. So this tournament, the purse will be $4.75 million.” This elevates the winner's share from $562,500 to $712,500, an increase of $150,000. The winner's check represents a substantial jump for the tournament held at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles. The event has seen steady purse growth since its LPGA debut in 2023. Organizers initially doubled the purse from $1.5 million to $3 million with support from JM Eagle and Plastpro, followed by a rise to $3.75 million in 2024. Most regular-season LPGA tournaments offer purses between $2 million and $4 million. In contrast, the CME Group Tour Championship provides an $11 million purse with a $4 million winner's prize, while the five majors range from $8 million to $12 million. Golf Channel will air the final round starting at 6 p.m. ET.