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 is the LPGA Tour's highest earner to date
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 is the youngest highest earner
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
| 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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