The 2026 Ford Championship is the sixth event and third in the United States on the LPGA’s schedule. What makes this event way more important is the scheduling. It occurs exactly one month before the first women’s major of the year, The Chevron Championship, making it an important opportunity for players to prepare in a full-field, competitive environment. As a result, the Arizona desert showdown always attracts the most promising golfers of the season, and this season is no exception.

It features 22 of the top 25 female golfers in the Rolex Rankings, missing only #5 Minjee Lee, #7 Hannah Green, and #11 Ruoning Yin. The field remains packed with stars like #1 Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Brooke Henderson, Auston Kim, Lottie Woad, Rio Takeda, Lydia Ko, and defending champion Hyo Joo Kim. All of them have shown exceptional form in the opening months of the 2026 season.

The 2026 Ford Championship purse is set for $2.25 million. The winner’s share came in at $337,500 (the standard 15 percent payout according to the LPGA Tour’s prize money distribution chart), while the second-place finisher got $212,233. The competition follows a standard 72-hole stroke play format with a cut occurring after 36 holes, and only the top 65 players and ties will advance to the weekend to earn a portion of the prize fund.

Here is the complete prize money breakdown for all 65 positions:

Beyond the money, there is much more at stake in Phoenix, especially for the winner. The winner earns 500 Race to the CME Globe points. It is valuable for qualifying for the season-ending $11 million finale. Additionally, the champion receives a two-year exemption on the LPGA Tour, valuable Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points, and guaranteed berths into upcoming major championships and signature events.

As the final heavyweight event before the Chevron Championship, the Whirlwind Golf Club always offers another level of excitement, and this season is no exception.

The battle for the $2.25 million Ford Championship is getting hot in the Arizona desert

After breaking her year-long trophy drought at the HGV Tournament Championship in Orlando, Nelly Korda continues the momentum. After rounds of 63 and 65, the #2 is currently leading the field.

Meanwhile, the defending champion, Hyo Joo Kim, is trailing Korda by 2 shots entering the weekend. Last year, she won in a thrilling playoff against Lilia Vu. And in the current Race to the CME Globe standings, Kim has taken a commanding lead after winning the Fortinet Founders Cup just one week ago. However, the most impressive performance of the week came from Lydia Ko.

A member of the LPGA Hall of Fame with 20 tour victories to her name, Ko entered the event seeking to reclaim her spot at the top after winning almost nothing on the Tour since the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in March 2025. To open, she carded a career-low 12-under 60. Ko started her round with four consecutive birdies, a feat she admitted she could not remember ever achieving before. However, many fans barely saw it in real-time, as the Tour didn’t cover it enough, for which it was blasted.