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As coverage continues to increase, more sponsors than ever are realizing the potential of investing in women’s sports — and the LPGA Tour is reaping the benefits.
Prize money for next year’s Tour is closing in on $90 million, with 15 players earning $1 million or more during last season’s 72nd edition. A decade ago, only eight achieved that feat during the season.
The largest first-place check was $1.5 million for the CME Group Tour Championship in November.
- Next year, that will increase by another $500,000 to $2 million for a total of $7 million in prize money — $2 million more than this year.
- The first major of 2022, the Chevron Championship, will pay out $1.9 million more than the 2021 event, with the purse hitting $5 million.
- Five years ago, only 15 LPGA Tour events had a purse of $2 million or more — now there’s 19.
- The same year, the five majors had a total purse of $18.7 million. Now, it reaches $26.3 million.
Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan referenced an awakening to women’s sports as an undervalued asset. Next year, the LPGA Tour will have more than 500 hours of broadcasts.
Going forward, a presenting sponsor is still needed for the U.S. Women’s Open, which could have the biggest purse in women’s golf.
