One of the biggest reasons why this competition is attracting attention is the overwhelming amount of prize money. The total prize money, which was only $2 million 12 years ago when title sponsor KPMG began sponsoring, has grown by more than 500% in just a decade, reaching a record high of $13 million. This record immediately surpassed the $12.5 million earned by the US Women's Open held earlier this month, clearly showing how quickly women's golf tournaments are becoming premium content. The prize money awarded to the winner amounts to a whopping $1.95 million, which provides players with not just fame but also financial compensation that marks the pinnacle of their careers. This inflation of prize money not only raises the status of the women's golf tour, but also serves as a powerful motivation for the world's top players to compete more fiercely for survival.

The absolute star of this tournament is definitely World No. 1 Nellie Korda. Korda, who is already on a two-game winning streak this season by winning the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open, will take one step closer to achieving the legendary record of the 'Calendar Grand Slam' if she wins this tournament. Her experience of winning this competition in 2021 and her record of tying for 3rd place in 2019 prove how optimized she is for the Hazeltine National Course. Her current momentum is so overwhelming that even sports betting sites predict her to be the number one winner, and the galleries' attention is focused on her every single shot. The whole world is watching her every move with bated breath to see whether she can achieve the great feat of winning three consecutive majors and reign as the new ruler of women's golf.

For Korean players, this tournament is an important step to regain their pride. A total of 21 Taegeuk players, led by Kim Hyo-joo, Kim Se-young, and Jeon In-ji, have voted to compete, and each of them is aiming to reclaim the major title in their own way. In particular, Kim Se-young, the winner in 2020, and Jeon In-ji, who reached the top in 2022, are determined to block Korda's dominance based on the unique strong concentration they showed in major competitions. Jeon In-ji's performance, which recently recovered from an injury and improved her shooting sense by finishing 4th in the US Women's Open and tied for 12th in the Meyer LPGA Classic, is raising great expectations among Korean fans. Although we cannot see players active on the domestic KLPGA tour in this tournament, we are ready to prove that the potential of Korean players active on the LPGA tour is still world-class.

Hazeltine National Golf Club, where the tournament will be held, is expected to be a huge test in itself for players. This course, set at a par of 72 and a total length of 6,807 yards, is also a historic venue where Yang Yong-eun defeated Tiger Woods in the Men's PGA Championship and became the first Asian to win a major championship. The long and difficult layout requires players to have precise tee shots as well as putting skills that do not falter under pressure. The memory of Park Seong-hyun finishing runner-up by one stroke when Hannah Green won in 2019 will be an important reference in establishing a strategy for this tournament. On this harsh course, where you must have both long shots and precision to advance to the top rankings, the key point of this competition will be who can overcome the obstacles most cleverly.