The conclusion of the Ford Championship is as near as ever, and fans are all over the moon given the solid performances at the Whirlwind Golf Club. Starting on March 27 and wrapping up on March 30, this marks the tournament’s second edition. Last year, Nelly Korda secured a two-stroke victory with a remarkable 65 in the final round and more than $300k! As the defending champion, Korda claimed her 2024 Ford Championship win as her third consecutive LPGA Tour title. And she seems to be going as strong as her fellow LPGA stars! Surely, you’re excited to know who will take what this year? So, let’s wait no further and dive right into it!
Well, in the simplest terms: a lot. First of all, we have a substantial purse of $2.25 million, including the winner’s share coming at $337,500. This, in turn, reflects the standard 15 percent payout according to the LPGA prize money distribution chart. The second winner will take home $212,233, with the third making a solid $153,959! Additionally, the winner will earn 500 points toward the Race to the CME Globe, as well as Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points. As you already know, the Race to the CME points are based on the finishes. On this note, let’s check out the rest of the prize money distribution!
1
$337,500
2
$212,233
3
$153,959
4
$119,100
5
$95,862
6
$78,432
7
$65,651
8
$57,518
9
$51,708
10
$47,060
11
$43,573
12
$40,667
13
$38,111
14
$35,788
15
$33,696
16
$31,837
17
$30,212
18
$28,817
19
$27,654
20
$26,725
21
$25,797
22
$24,866
23
$23,937
24
$23,007
25
$22,194
26
$21,381
27
$20,566
28
$19,752
29
$18,940
30
$18,243
31
$17,545
32
$16,848
33
$16,151
34
$15,453
35
$14,873
36
$14,292
37
$13,712
38
$13,130
39
$12,549
40
$12,084
41
$11,620
42
$11,156
43
$10,689
44
$10,225
45
$9,877
46
$9,527
47
$9,179
48
$8,830
49
$8,482
50
$8,133
51
$7,902
52
$7,669
53
$7,435
54
$7,205
55
$6,971
56
$6,738
57
$6,507
58
$6,274
59
$6,043
60
$5,810
61
$5,694
62
$5,576
63
$5,462
64
$5,346
65
$5,228
But there’s a reason why the Ford Championship is so prestigious. Its top 65 players inclusive of ties will qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. The winner of that particular event will not only claim the Race to the CME Globe title but also a whopping $4 million first-place prize! Additionally, winning the Ford Championship has additional benefits, including a two-year exemption on the LPGA Tour and berths into other major tournaments. A lot of golfers are already out, so who are the golfers likely to take home this prize and more? Let’s take a look at what’s going on at the Ford Championship!
Lilia Vu leads the second-round leaderboard with a solid 64
Lilia Vu is playing strong. Vu had made her double major wins in 2023 but struggled because of a back injury last year. Consequently, she was feeling stressed out in the course. But her caddie came to her rescue and asked her to pick up a target. The result of this solid partnership? Lilia Vu started with 66 on Thursday but pulled an even better number on Friday with 64! Additionally, she is the only player through 36 to be bogey-free. Talk about a solid comeback! Talking about it, the golfer said, “Just focused on the shot in front of me and getting from point A to point B. That really kind of helped me. Somehow just happened to play well. Felt like everything was grooving in the right spot.” The result? She is sitting two strokes ahead of Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda!
2 blemish-free round for @TheLiliaVu in Arizona pic.twitter.com/ACgRxUE7Cc
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 29, 2025
Jeeno Thitikul, for her games, is doing excellent as well. She started the Ford Championship with 68 on Thursday and followed it with 8-under 64. If anything, she is giving Lilia Vu a run for her money. Similarly, Nelly Korda is currently hanging on to her third position and is tied with three golfers, including Thitikul. Korda’s first round was 67 and she followed it with 65. Nana Koerstz Madsen is in 4th, tied with both of them, with a score of -12. And, following them, is Charley Hull! And we all know how amazing her first round was. She made nine birdies in a beautiful bogey-free 63, her career’s lowest score! She followed it with a 69 and is in the 5th position. Will she pick it up? Yet to be seen, folks.
Solid players are following them. For instance, Ayaka Furue (T6), Sei Young Kim (T6), Ina Yoon (T6), Auston Kim (T9), and Hyo Joo Kim (T9) are in the top 10! Lydia Ko is sitting behind them in the 11th position with a score of -9. Undoubtedly, the competition is tough. Who do you think will take home that win?
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