After an intense battle in the ISPS Handa Senior Open, the Champions Tour veterans are in Washington for the next event. The competition is intense at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, and Stephen Ames is trying his best to defend his Boeing Classic title for the second consecutive time. But Jerry Kelly and Matt Gogel are running away with the lead after the first round, as Paul Goydos is closely chasing them. Out of all the names mentioned above, only Gogel has never won on the PGA Tour Champions. And this year, he would be looking to change that in Snoqualmie.

Apart from the title, everyone participating in the Boeing Classic 2025 will also be competing for something else. That is, to get the maximum out of the lucrative purse. So let’s take a look at what everyone else who makes the cut can win in the Washington-based event.

Boeing Classic 2025: A big paycheck awaits the eventual winner

The Boeing Classic has been played annually since 2005. Every year, the tournament has seen a gradual rise in the prize money. Last year, the tournament was played for a $2.2 million purse. According to The Golf News Net, this year, the prize money for the tournament has increased to $2.3 million. That means Ames, Kelly, Gogel, and everyone else on the field have the opportunity to earn more than they could have this time last year.

The winner of the tournament will bank a handsome $345,000 paycheck. Everyone in the top 5 will get more than $100,000, unless there aren’t too many ties. Even those finishing dead last after making the cut will get at least $1,150 for their efforts. Here is the complete breakdown of the $2.2 million purse:

Since the tournament only has a 78-player field, there won’t be any cuts, and the prize money will remain relatively the same. The only changes that the players might see would come from ties.

The main focus of the tournament will be on those competing for the biggest paycheck. Why Kelly and Gogel have had terrific first rounds, who can prove to be a huge threat to them over the next couple of days? Let’s look at the rest of the leaderboard.

Who can win the $2.3 million event in Washington?

Jerry Kelly and Matt Gogel have certainly given themselves the best shot at winning the 2025 Boeing Classic. They are sitting tied at the top with 7-under 65 after playing 18 holes on Friday. Paul Goydos scored 6-under 66 to end up 1 stroke behind them on the leaderboard. However, the biggest threat to all three of them is the three golfers tied at T4: Vijay Singh, Steven Alker, and David Duval. They hold outstanding records on the course and are very capable of turning things around over the next 36 holes.

Sitting in fourth on the Charles Schwab standings, Stewart Cink is also not far behind the top of the leaderboard and can rise up the ranks pretty quickly. The likes of Justin Leonard, Ernie Els, and Angel Cabrera are all tied along with him. Lastly, two-time defending champion Stephen Ames has won the Boeing Classic title in 2023 and 2024. He definitely can repeat that feat in 2025 as well to make it three in a row. The only thing we can say is, things are about to heat up at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge.