If you’ve ever searched women’s golf pay, LPGA prize money, or the gender pay gap in sports, you’ve probably noticed the same pattern. Women still aren’t paid the same as men in golf tournaments.
At the same time, the gap isn’t as simple as it used to be.
Pay equity in golf has improved over time, but there are still clear differences in earnings between men’s and women’s tournaments. These gaps reflect bigger trends across the sports landscape. Media coverage, sponsorships and long-term investment all shape how much athletes are paid.
Quick Highlights
- Women’s golf prize money has grown steadily, but men’s major tournaments still award significantly more. In 2023, the U.S. Open paid $20 million to the men’s champion and $11 million to the women’s champion.
- Sponsorships and media exposure favor male golfers, with top LPGA earners like Jeeno Thitikul ($7 million in 2025) ranking only around 15th on the PGA money list.
- Rising athletes like Sydney Grimes are building visibility through social media with a growing following of 50,000+ fans, helping open opportunities for partnerships and brand collaborations.
- LPGA initiatives and increased tournament prize money have raised total earnings opportunities for women’s majors and the broader tour, with total LPGA prize funds growing from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025.
- Digital engagement for women’s golf has been expanding, with the LPGA investing in dynamic video content and enhanced digital platforms to connect fans with players and events online.
The Prize Money Gap Is Still There
One of the clearest ways to see the difference is through tournament prize money.
Men’s majors on the PGA Tour consistently offer higher winnings than women’s majors on the LPGA Tour. Events like The Masters and U.S. Open reach prize money totals in the tens of millions, while women’s tournaments have historically been much lower, even as they continue to grow.
Recent data shows that while prize money in women’s golf has increased, the overall gap is still significant.
There has been progress, though. The U.S. Women’s Open, for example, reached a record $12 million purse in 2025, with $2.4 million awarded to the winner, signaling a clear increase in investment in the women’s game.
That kind of movement matters. It shows that organizations are starting to take equity more seriously, even if the gap hasn’t closed yet.
Visibility Drives Earnings
Prize money is only part of the story. A large portion of earnings in professional golf comes from sponsorships and endorsements.
This is where the gap becomes even more noticeable.
Male golfers have historically received more consistent media coverage, leading to greater visibility and more brand opportunities. The more exposure an athlete gets, the more valuable they become to sponsors.
Men’s majors like The Masters are broadcast across multiple days in prime network windows with wall-to-wall coverage, driving massive viewership and sponsor exposure.
Women’s golf hasn’t always had that same level of attention. Even premier events like the U.S. Women’s Open have historically received fewer broadcast hours and less consistent primetime placement. Limited coverage and reduced visibility have made it more difficult for female golfers to build the same level of commercial presence.
Media coverage plays a direct role in how athletes are valued and marketed, which ultimately impacts earnings.
Social media and digital platforms are giving female athletes more control over their visibility, allowing them to build their own audiences and attract partnerships without relying only on traditional coverage.Â
This is exactly what we do at Athelo every day. We strive to help surfers like Brisa Hennessy, an Olympian and world champion, and Bella Kenworthy, a rising star in competitive surfing, grow their personal brands, connect with fans and unlock partnerships across lifestyle, fitness and sportswear categories.
The Earnings Gap at the Top
The difference in earnings becomes even clearer when comparing top players.
For example, Scottie Scheffler earned over $20 million in prize money during the 2024 PGA Tour season alone. In contrast, Nelly Korda, who had one of the most dominant seasons in women’s golf, earned roughly $4 to $5 million in prize money.
Both athletes competed at the highest level of their sport, yet the gap in tournament earnings remains significant.
This difference highlights how prize structures, not just performance, drive overall income differences between men’s and women’s golf.
Athletes Are Changing the Narrative
This shift is especially clear with the rise of athlete-driven brands.
At Athelo Group, athletes like Sydney Grimes are a strong example of what the modern golfer looks like. She’s not only a competitive athlete with a strong collegiate career, but also a growing presence in fitness and lifestyle content.
Grimes represents a new lane in golf, where performance, personality, and content all come together. Through social media, she’s building visibility in a way that wasn’t as accessible to past generations of female golfers. That visibility opens the door for partnerships across sportswear, wellness, and lifestyle brands.
This matters when talking about pay equity. As more female golfers build personal brands and grow their audiences, they create additional revenue streams outside of tournament winnings. That doesn’t replace equal pay, but it does help close the overall earnings gap.
Progress Is Happening, Just Slowly
Even with these gaps, there has been real progress.
Organizations, sponsors, and players have all pushed for change, leading to gradual increases in prize money and attention. For example, the United States Golf Association has significantly increased the purse for the U.S. Women’s Open, reaching $12 million in 2025, one of the largest in women’s golf.
The LPGA Tour has also seen measurable growth in sponsorship and global reach, with total prize money increasing from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025, helping elevate the women’s game overall.
We’re also seeing a broader shift across all women’s sports. Leagues like the Women’s National Basketball Association and organizations such as CrossFit Games have continued to expand media coverage and sponsorship opportunities, signaling increased investment across the board. As visibility and funding grow, golf is following a similar path.
The growth isn’t instant, but it’s consistent.
Why This Still Matters
The pay gap in golf isn’t just about numbers. It reflects how value is assigned in sports.
When women’s tournaments receive less coverage and lower investment, it directly impacts how much athletes can earn. At the same time, as visibility increases and brands invest earlier, the opportunity for change becomes more realistic.
The gap is smaller than it used to be, but it hasn’t disappeared.
Until prize money, sponsorship opportunities, and media coverage are more equal, women in golf will continue to earn less than men, even as the sport continues to evolve.
FAQ:
- What is the prize money gap in golf? The prize money gap refers to the difference in total earnings awarded to male and female golfers in tournaments. Men’s major tournaments typically offer significantly more than women’s, though the gap has been narrowing over time.
- Why do men still earn more than women in golf? The gap exists largely due to differences in sponsorships, media coverage, and historical investment in men’s versus women’s tournaments. While women’s prize money has grown, media attention and brand deals still favor male athletes.
- Have women’s tournament earnings increased recently? Yes. LPGA events, including majors, have seen total prize money grow significantly in recent years, with the overall LPGA Tour prize fund nearly doubling from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025. Initiatives by the LPGA and increased investment in tournaments have helped create more earning opportunities for female golfers.
- How do female golfers supplement their income? Many top female golfers build personal brands through social media, fitness, and lifestyle content. This visibility allows them to secure endorsements and partnerships, creating additional revenue streams beyond tournament earnings.
- Does performance explain the pay difference? Not fully. Top female and male golfers perform at comparable levels in scoring, accuracy, and overall skill. The main differences in earnings come from historical investment, exposure, and sponsorship opportunities, not on-course performance.
