New sponsor. New money. New golf courses.
There are big things happening with the U.S. Women’s Open.
The premier event in women’s golf is getting unquestionably premier-er after the USGA unveiled its plans on Friday at a presentation in New York City.
First, that sponsor: ProMedica, a health and well-being nonprofit, is coming on as presenting sponsor, making the USWO the first USGA championship to have one on board. ProMedica is getting involved with the stated goal of using the USWO platform to generate money for its Impact Fund, which hopes to raise $1 billion (!) over eight years to strategically invest in individual and community health.
With a presenting sponsor comes an increase in purse size, and not just a token increase: this year, the purse will jump from $5.5 million all the way to $10 million. Over the next five years the USGA says that will increase to $12 million. By point of comparison, the men’s 2021 U.S. Open had a total purse of $12.5 million.
“For more than 75 years, the U.S. Women’s Open has been the one that every little girl, in every country around the world, has dreamed of winning,” said USGA CEO (and former LPGA commissioner) Mike Whan in a press release. “This partnership with ProMedica allows us to substantially grow the championship in every way, from its purpose, to its purse, to the places that host the event.” He added that the announcement was “just the beginning” for the event.
Let’s get to those courses, then. The USGA unveiled a slate of bucket list-level venues for the USWO over the next decade (and beyond!). The 2026 event will be played at Riviera, beloved annual host of the Genesis Invitational. The 2027 championship will go to Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, site of the 2021 Solheim Cup. In 2029, they’ll head to Pinehurst No. 2 in combination with the men’s U.S. Open, which will take place on the same course that year.
Two beloved Midwest sites will host championships in 2030 (Interlachen in Edina, Minn.) and 2031 (Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
And those are just the new courses. We’ll forgive you if you don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of the USGA sites already announced, and when it comes to the U.S. Women’s Open those include places like Pebble Beach, Oakmont and Merion as well as underrated courses like Lancaster CC and Erin Hills. Check out the upcoming slate:
U.S. Women’s Open Future Host Courses
2022 — Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
2023 — Pebble Beach Golf Links
2024 — Lancaster Country Club
2025 — Erin Hills
2026 — The Riviera Country Club
2027 — Inverness Club
2028, 2038 — Oakmont Country Club
2029 — Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
2030 — Interlachen Country Club
2031, 2042 — Oakland Hills Country Club
2034, 2046 — Merion Golf Club
Yowza!
For good measure, let’s toss in the upcoming men’s U.S. Opens too. The USGA is going places. And they’re taking us with ’em.
Men’s U.S. Open Future Host Courses
2022 — The Country Club
2023 — Los Angeles Country Club
2024 — Pinehurst No. 2
2025 — Oakmont Country Club
2026 — Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
2027 — Pebble Beach Golf Links
2029 — Pinehurst No. 2
2030 — Merion Golf Club
2034 — Oakmont Country Club
2035 — Pinehurst No. 2
2041 — Pinehurst No. 2
2042 — Oakmont Country Club
2047 — Pinehurst No. 2
2049 — Oakmont Country Club
2050 — Merion Golf Club
