Ladies European Tour increases prize fund to £15.2m for 2020 season

Catriona Matthew, who captained Europe to Solheim Cup victory in 2019, says players should be "proud" of the new tour schedule.

Players on the 2020 Ladies European Tour (LET) will play for a record £15.2m total prize money, a £3.9m increase from 2019.

There will be 24 LET events, four more than last year and nine up on 2018.

The UK will host one of the new events, offering £835,000 in prize money, with the location yet to be announced.

"I couldn't be more excited about what's been achieved to improve the schedule," said Europe's Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew.

"This is a tour that existing players and those joining for the first time should be proud to be part of."

The revamped schedule has been put together as a result of a joint venture between the LET and the LPGA, which was formed to increase playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe.

The 2020 season begins on 20 February at the Australian Ladies Classic in New South Wales and ends with the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open in November.

The new Race to Costa del Sol, which replaces the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit, offers an extra £210,000 to the top three finishers in the order of merit, with the number one player receiving £107,000 of that pot.

Among the new additions will be Sweden, who will host two tournaments, while the LET will return to Switzerland when the Swiss Ladies Open comes to Golfpark Holzhausern in September.