LANCASTER, Pa. — The purse for the 2024 U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster County Club later this year will be a record $12 million, the United States Golf Association said Thursday.
The record prize is made possible in part by a new multi-year, multi-million-dollar partnership with Ally Financial Inc., the nation's largest digital-only bank and a leader in women's sports, the USGA said. The arrangement also makes Ally the championship’s presenting partner.
The unprecedented payout for the preeminent women’s major championship represents an $8 million increase from 2015, when Lancaster Country Club last hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in front of record-setting crowds.
This year's Open will return to Lancaster Country Club from May 30 to June 2.
"Partnering with Ally allows us to not only continue elevating the U.S. Women’s Open, but to also further our commitment to the future of the game via our U.S. National Development Program,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan in a press release. “Ally has established itself as a force in sports, with a passion for equity across the industry. Its brand values and actions align perfectly with ours, and I can’t wait to see what we are able to do together.”
In 2023, the U.S. Women’s Open enjoyed a banner year at Pebble Beach with the highest attendance since 2015, highest broadcast viewership since 2014 and a record as the most-streamed women’s golf event in NBC Sports history.
In addition to Lancaster Country Club, future host sites include prestigious venues such as Erin Hills, Riviera Country Club, Inverness Country Club, Oakmont Country Club, and Pinehurst, many of which will also host U.S. Open Championships over the next decade, including the back-to-back championships in 2029 at Pinehurst.
This collaboration will also see Ally expand its 50/50 pledge, an initiative Ally launched to reach parity across its paid media spend in men’s and women’s sports, into the U.S. Women’s Open through significant investments with NBCUniversal Media to secure category exclusivity for in-broadcast features.
This strategic move advances Ally's goal to achieve gender parity well ahead of schedule, projecting a 45/55 gender balance by the end of 2024.
“Golf is on a meteoric rise and its fanbase is more diverse than ever, bringing it in line with those who choose to bank with Ally,” said Stephanie Marciano, head of sports marketing at Ally. “We know empirically that investing in sports is good for business, and we couldn’t be more excited to team up with the USGA to expand our current sponsorship portfolio in a meaningful way, reaching a whole new group of fans.”
As part of the relationship, Ally will also become a founding partner of the USGA's U.S. National Development Program. The USGA launched the U.S. National Development Program last year to create the country’s first unified pathway to nurture the potential of America’s top players, starting in competitive junior golf and progressing to the pinnacles of the sport. As a founding partner,
Ally will invest millions of dollars to help create a way forward for the nation's most promising junior golfers, regardless of cultural, geographical, or financial background, to compete at the highest level and on the game's biggest stages.
The U.S. Women’s Open is one of 15 national championships conducted annually by the USGA. The championship began in 1946 and its winners include Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright, Hollis Stacy, Amy Alcott, Meg Mallon, Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Juli Inkster, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Inbee Park and Michelle Wie West. Showcasing the world’s best players on the greatest stage in the game, the U.S. Women’s Open welcomes the global golf community to participate in and experience America’s national championship.