2023 US Women’s Open: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money and Other Details

The highly anticipated US Women’s Open is all set to start on July 6th 2023 with some of the biggest names competing for the major . Being one of the most prominent competitions in women’s golf and one of the five major championships, taking part in it and winning this tournament is, by all accounts, a historic accomplishment. The Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, will serve as the venue for the event.

The competition is ready to enthrall the audience with thrilling battles thanks to the presence of LPGA tour’s best golfers. But who is the reigning champion, what is the prize money and other details going into the event. Let’s find out.

2023 US Women’s Open power rankings

Undoubtedly, selecting the top picks for a major championship is never an easy task. However, given the strength of the field and the recent form of a few players, here are our top five picks who we feel can give a fierce competition on the field:

These days, Ruoning Yin is the name that has been in the highlight of women’s golf. The young World Number 5 golfer recently won the Women’s PGA Championship. She became the second woman player from China to win a major. On the final round, the 20-year-old golfer made a birdie putt to beat Yuka Saso by one stroke. This time, we can be expecting her best game to claim her second major title this season.

Another prominent American Golfer Lilia Vu, is in good form this year. In April this year, the current world no. 4 won the Chevron Championship, with a birdie on the first extra hole. And in February, she went on to win the Honda LPGA Thailand. Her consistent game makes her a strong competitor for the upcoming major championship.

A young prodigy who has stunned the world in 2015 by winning her maider major, the Evian Championship, her maiden major was none other than Lydia Ko, who was only 17 at the time. Ko has an established record and is now ranked third in the Rolex rankings. She was named the 2022 LPGA Player of the Year last year. Despite winning two major tournaments, Ko has yet to claim the US Women’s Open championship. Her tenacious play to win the US Open championship will be on display this coming week.

Nelly Korda is the name that sits on top of the list with the other picks. The World No. 2 has 12 professional wins to her name. Nevertheless, she has had a difficult year. Due to a back injury, Korda decided not to compete in the Mizuho Americas Open. Her performance at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championships was subpar. After scoring 76-77 over the Lower Course, she failed to make the cut. But, she has been training vigorously for her upcoming tournaments. This championship can be a sort of a redemption for her.

Moving along to the first pick, which is none other than World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, This year, the South Korean golfer made it to the top ten at the Chevron Championship and claimed victory at the Cognizant Founders Cup. She also took home the Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship for 2019. Hence, the anticipation regarding her performance in the upcoming major is high.

The field at the US Women’s Open and the prize money

The US Women’s Open is the oldest championship on the LPGA Tour. This year, 2,000 entries from golfers of all ages, both amateur and professional, were received. Michelle Wie West, the 2014 US Women’s Open champion, will also be on the field, but recent reports suggest that this might be her final major. The talk of the golfing world these days revolves around phenom Rose Zhang. She made headlines after she broke Tiger Woods’ record, which he held for 27 years. By winning the Mizuho Americas Open, she once again demonstrated her amazing talent. As for the US Women’s Open, her magic is awaited!

Read More: US Women’s Open: TV Schedule, Pebble Beach GC Tickets, and Everything Else You Need to Know to Watch the Ultimate Women’s Golf Battle Live

The prize money for the competition is also the highest in women’s golf. The major’s prize fund is a whopping $10 million this year. Despite being double the previous two years, it is still exactly half the prize money from the US Open for men.

Venue and defending champion of this event

After hosting the men’s championship six times, The Pebble Beach Golf Links is now hosting the women’s championship for the first time, and the excitement is obvious.

The current defending champion is Minjee Lee. She shot a final round 71 the year before, finishing the competition at 13 under par. She will once again give it her all to defend her title.

Will she retain her title this year? Who are your picks to win this year? Let us know in the comments section below.

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