Making History: Colorado Open First To Tee Up Equal Prize Money For Men & Women

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado is changing the course of equality, at least on fairway. The Colorado Open Golf Foundation announced Tuesday its new title sponsor that's making history by offering equal purses for both the men's and women's championships.

"When they called and told me, I had tears in my eyes!" said Erin Houtsma, the 2005 Colorado Women's Open Champion. "I told my dad and he teared up, too."

Houtsma teared up sharing her excitement with CBS4, but they're tears of joy reflecting the golfer's excitement about the equal payouts.

"It's 2022," she said. "Women, I believe, are just as capable, work just as hard, put in just as much effort as anybody out there. I feel this is a huge step in taking down the gender stereotypes and really leveling the playing field."

It comes thanks to Inspirato, a Denver-based luxury travel subscription brand. Inspirato will succeed CoBank as the new title sponsor beginning this year. Under the groundbreaking sponsorship, Inspirato is not only offering the largest purses of any state open in the country -- $250,000 -- it's also offering equal earnings for both the men's and women's open winners -- $100,000.

In doing so, the Colorado Open becomes the first state open in the nation to offer equal prize money.

"This is a great way for us to represent Colorado, represent women, and be part of progress," said Michele Delman, Executive Vice President of Care at Inspirato and one of more than 500 women in the company. "I was just so proud of the rest of the executive team because we could spend our money on any number of things, but really, [equal purses] was a unanimous, 'yes of course.'"

With Inspirato comes inspiration for other golf tournaments – and sports – to do the same.

"Colorado's taken such a huge step forward in women's golf," Houtsma said. "I can't help but just be so proud."

The new sponsorship also increases the purse for the Colorado Senior Open -- $90,000 with the winner earning $18,000.

Check out the Colorado Open 2022 schedule.