Daytona Beach, FL – An event that honors the 13 founding members of the LPGA Tour will have a $1.5 million purse next season.
The Founders Cup, which was played for the first time as a 54-hole tournament in March, will also be expanded to four rounds, the LPGA Tour said Tuesday.
The inaugural event featured a $1 million purse that counted toward the official money list, but was donated entirely to charity.
Hall of Famer Karrie Webb called it "a great concept" after shooting a 66 in the final round to win.
Next year's event, to be played March 15-18 at Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona, will promise $500,000 to the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program. But the $1.5 million purse will be paid to the players.
The tournament, in addition to honoring the tour's founding members, will also pay tribute to four pioneering players "who had a major role in creating one of the most successful women's sports organizations in history," the LPGA said.
The players are Peggy Kirk Bell, Betsy Rawls, Barbara Romack and Mickey Wright.
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