A Landmark Week in Pacific Palisades as the World's Elite Gather for the 81st Championship
The eyes of the sporting world are locked on Pacific Palisades, California, as the 81st U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally gets underway tomorrow, June 4 to June 7, 2026. In what is already being hailed as a monumental milestone, the championship will be contested for the very first time on the legendary fairways of the Riviera Country Club.
By bringing women’s golf’s most prestigious major to one of the game’s most iconic and demanding venues, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has delivered a powerful statement about the soaring growth, media coverage, and commercial strength of the modern women’s game.
| Tournament Metric | Official Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 4 to June 7, 2026 |
| Venue | The Riviera Country Club |
| Prize Purse | $12,000,000 |
| Winner’s Share | $2,400,000 |
| Field Size | 156 Players |
The Ultimate Strategic Test: Riviera's Legendary Layout
The Ultimate Strategic Test: Riviera’s Legendary Layout
Since opening its doors in 1926, Riviera has commanded a unique gravity in professional golf. Famed as «Hogan’s Alley,» this masterpiece of strategic design demands absolute precision over brute power. Tomorrow, the elite field will face narrow, tree-lined fairways, complex green configurations, and unpredictable lies created by the course’s signature, wire-thin Kikuyu grass.
Adding to the drama are Riviera’s infamous putting surfaces. Renowned for their subtle, hard-to-read breaks and lightning-fast speeds, these greens are expected to act as the ultimate arbiter in crowning the 2026 champion. As defending champion Maja Stark noted upon returning the Harton S. Semple trophy on Tuesday: «It was fun to have the trophy in my room, but it’s more fun to play for it than to have it. Riviera is going to be an incredible, stress-free but intense mental challenge».
Nelly Korda and the Field of Contenders
The tournament features a spectacular 156-player field, highlighted by all of the world’s top 10 players and 11 past champions.
The undisputed favourite entering the week is World No. 1 Nelly Korda. Korda has been on an imperious run in 2026, capturing her third career major at the Chevron Championship in April and securing three victories already this season. Having finished as the runner-up last year, she arrives in Southern California highly motivated to claim her maiden U.S. Open title.
However, the path to victory will be heavily contested:
Jeeno Thitikul: The World No. 2 remains a prime threat. After winning the Mizuho Americas Open in May, she is in peak form to secure her first major title.
Kim Hyo-joo: The South Korean star has already captured three titles in 2026, quietly rising to World No. 3.
Lottie Woad: The English phenom turned professional last July and has already secured two LPGA titles, arriving as one of the game’s fastest risers.
Maja Stark: The defending champion, despite returning the trophy, remains a serious threat on a course that rewards strategic depth.
Honoring a Barrier-Breaking Legacy
The relationship between Riviera and women’s golf stretches back further than many fans realize. It was on these very fairways in 1945 that the legendary Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first woman to compete in a men’s professional tournament.
More than 80 years after Zaharias challenged those historic barriers, the world’s best female athletes will compete on the exact same world-class platform, elevating the tournament into a celebration of progress, parity, and sporting excellence.
A Preview of the 2028 Olympic Games
Beyond crowning a major champion, this week represents a crucial technical dress rehearsal. Riviera Country Club has been officially selected to host the golf competitions for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
A successful major run this week will not only cement Riviera’s standing in women’s golf history but will also pave the way for other historic, traditionally men’s clubs to open their gates to major women’s championships.
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