Who Has The Most Career Earnings On The LPGA Tour?

Prize purses on the LPGA Tour are climbing, so we take a look at the highest earners in the women's game

Annika Sorenstam, Lydia Ko, Amy Yang, Karrie Webb
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prize purses on the LPGA Tour are growing, creating more opportunities for players to earn a solid paycheck. While the average tour pro may still struggle to break even each week, and there’s progress to be made toward greater parity in the game, the biggest events now offer significant earning potential.

In 2025, LPGA golfers will compete for a record $131 million in purse money. This represents the largest prize fund in the Tour’s 75-year history and marks a significant increase of over $62 million in four years, up approximately 90% from 2021.

Non-major purses total over $83 million for the 2025 season, up from $45.8 million in 2021. So far, nine tournaments have announced elevated purses from 2024, with the FM Championship becoming the first non-major, non-CME Group Tour Championship purse to surpass $4 million.

The season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, won by Jeeno Thitikul in 2024, remains the leader in non-major prize money. With an $11 million purse, it offers a record-breaking $4 million winner’s check, the largest single prize in women’s golf history and one of the highest in women’s sports.

Annika Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam is the LPGA Tour's highest earner to date

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Back in 2006, when Annika Sorenstam won her third US Women’s Open title, her winner’s share from a $3.1 million prize purse was $560,000, and with that win Sorenstam went over $20 million in career earnings. Despite retiring in 2008, she is still the highest earner on the LPGA Tour, having amassed $22,583,693 in prize money from 307 events during her illustrious career.

Among the top five highest-earning female golfers of all time, 27-year-old Lydia Ko stands out as the youngest, currently ranked third with $20,228,186 in career earnings. This marks a two-spot jump from 2024 when she had amassed $16,942,692, a total boosted by winning Olympic gold and three LPGA titles, including her third Major at the AIG Women’s Open. Notably, in 2014, Ko became the youngest millionaire in LPGA history during her first full season as a pro.

Lydia Ko with the AIG Women's Open trophy

Lydia Ko is the youngest highest earner

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Amy Yang has made a significant climb up the career earnings leaderboard, rising from 11th to 6th place in just a year. Her total earnings have jumped from $13,882,919 to $15,874,026, thanks in part to her victory at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship - her 75th Major start - where she claimed a $1,560,000 share of the prize purse.

One name that continues to stand out is Lorena Ochoa, who sits 7th with $14,863,331 in career earnings from just 175 events, a testament to her dominance between 2007 and 2010.

Meanwhile, Korea’s Jin Young Ko highlights the LPGA Tour’s rising prize purses in recent years. The two-time Major winner has amassed $13,805,916 in earnings despite playing only 123 events.

Highest Career Earnings On The LPGA Tour

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Rank

Player

Career Earnings

Career Events Played

1

Annika Sorenstam

$22,583,693

307

2

Karrie Web

$20,293,617

494

3

Lydia Ko

$20,228,186

247

4

Cristie Kerr

$20,179,848

599

5

Inbee Park

$18,262,344

305

6

Amy Yang

$15,874,026

351

7

Lorena Ochoa

$14,863,331

175

8

Suzann Pettersen

$14,837,578

316

9

Minjee Lee

$14,861,481

316

10

Lexi Thompson

$14,738,517

259

11

Stacy Lewis

$14,588,207

359

12

Juli Inkster

$14,018,391

714

13

Sei Young Kim

$13,840,799

224

14

Jin Young Ko

$13,565,643

123

15

Brooke Henderson

$13,565,643

225

LPGA statistics includes verified data from 1980 to present

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Alison Root

Alison Root has over 25 years experience working in media and events, predominantly dedicated to golf, in particular the women’s game. Until 2020, for over a decade Alison edited Women & Golf magazine and website, and is now the full-time Women's Editor for Golf Monthly. Alison is a respected and leading voice in the women's game, overseeing content that communicates to active golfers from grassroots through to the professional scene, and developing collaborative relationships to widen Golf Monthly's female audience across all platforms to elevate women's golf to a new level. She is a 16-handicap golfer (should be better) and despite having had the fantastic opportunity to play some of the best golf courses around the world, Kingsbarns in Scotland is her favourite.

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