The LPGA Tour has made a much-anticipated return to Mexico with the inaugural 2025 Riviera Maya Open, and it’s been well worth the wait. The Tour returned to Mexico after 8 years. This all-new tournament is lighting up Mayakoba’s scenic El Camaleón Golf Course, although it was not without its roadblocks (untimely WDs because of a mystery illness). The event, still, is packing a lot of excitement, as a lot is at stake.

The LPGA isn’t holding back with the purse. It has made a bold statement with a whopping $2.5 million purse up for grabs for the top 70 players who made the cut after 36 holes. Out of this over two-million-dollar sum, the winner will walk away with $375,000! That’s not all — second place grabs $232,620, while the golfer finishing in third place nets $168,749. Even the fifth-place finisher will walk home with a six-figure prize.  This figure is part of the LPGA’s record-breaking $131 million purse for this season.

And let’s not forget the critical world ranking points on offer: the winner will receive 500 Race to the CME Globe points, a valuable boost to anyone looking to rise in the rankings this season. These points will help a pro secure their spot at the season-long CME Championship.

Here is the full prize payout of the tournament:

But beyond the prize money, what really makes this event special is the strong Mexican presence. With eight Mexican players in the field, this tournament is more than just a competition — it’s a celebration of how far women’s golf has come in the country. But will a Mexican be able to walk away with a win?

Can a Mexican win the 2025 Riviera Maya Open?

After Round 2, Maria Fassi stands as the highest-ranked Mexican contender on the leaderboard, tied for 47th alongside star player Charley Hull at 3-over par. While both face an uphill climb, Hull could win but to cover a 9-stroke difference in one day to take the lead sounds too good to be true. Fassi, too, carries the hopes of a nation eager to see their sportspersons perform well on the global stage.

Looking back, the LPGA Tour last played in Mexico during the 2017 Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Match Play, where Sei Young Kim clinched her sixth career title. Now she’s back, and aiming to rekindle that winning spark. But the competition is fierce. American golfer Jenny Bae is at the front of the pack after 36 holes, finishing at 6-under-par. Trailing closely behind are Miranda Wang and Brianna Do, both at 5-under. Other notable contenders for the top prize include Jing Yan, Jeongeun Lee5, Gabriela Ruffels, Hye-Jin Choi, and Jenny Shin, all tied at 4-under, and well positioned to make a serious challenge for the crown.

Ultimately, the Riviera Maya Open isn’t just about prize money and points — it’s about creating excitement for the sport among a new demographic and inspiring young girls across Mexico and Latin America to take up the sport. If the success of this year’s event is anything to go by, Mexico could well become a regular stop on the LPGA calendar.