A professional golfer on the official developmental tour of the LPGA Tour has revealed the huge cost of her 2022 entry fees and yardage books. Kenzie Wright, who plays on the Epson Tour, explained on Twitter that after working on her tax return, she found the cost came to a staggering $16,826.47.
*not looking for sympathy at all I know this is a choice* but I spent $16,826.47 on entry fees and yardage books alone in 2022🫢January 31, 2023
In 2022, the Epson Tour offered total prize money of $4.41m across its 21 tournaments, averaging $210,000 per event. Wright, who was in her rookie year on the Tour, played in 14 tournaments. However, her earnings of $8,015 fell considerably short of her outgoings.
The revelation brings back into focus the reality that, for many players, competing on a tour isn’t necessarily enough to pay the bills. For example, DP World Tour pro Scott Hend revealed last April that being on the tour had cost him $50,000 following nine missed cuts in his first nine starts.
The three-time winner on the Tour also took to Twitter to write: "Some un useful info for the Golf Fans out there.... So far in 2022 I've missed 9 from 9 cuts and haven't made a cent.... I've been on the road playing since 17th Jan. I have burnt through approx $50k usd. This is Pro Golf people and I love it. Better times coming soon. #golflife"
Meanwhile, even the highest-profile players who make the cut are not immune from incurring losses, as revealed by 2017 Women’s PGA Championship winner Danielle Kang. In the build-up to last year’s Chevron Championship, she explained she’d made $6,000 in a tournament and failed to break even. She said: “I made $6,000 last week, made the cut; I didn't break even last week. That's me budgeting. I have to drive, rent a car, get a hotel room. Luckily enough for me I'm sponsored by BMW that provides for me the car. That saves like $500, $1000 etc.”
Of course, for players on developmental tours, such as Wright, there is nowhere near the opportunity to earn big money, even for a win. For example, the player who finished 2022 on top of the Epson Tour money list, Swede Linnea Strom, had one victory that banked her a relatively healthy-looking $30,000. However, to earn her $119,190 last year she needed seven top 10 finishes from her 17 tournaments, highlighting the pressure to perform consistently.
With an unprecedented amount of money pouring into the top of the game, it is sobering to note that, further down the pecking order, earning a living as a pro remains considerably less clear-cut than it might seem.
-
Los Angeles GC Defeat Tiger Woods' Jupiter Links GC In Commanding TGL VictoryLos Angeles GC put Woods' team to the sword, as the trio of Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala and Justin Rose closed out a dominant 12-1 victory
-
How Much Are TGL Tickets?Interest in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TGL has been significant early on, with the first few weeks of action completely sold out...
-
'I Said YES' - Lexi Thompson Announces EngagementJust over a month after ending her full-time career, Lexi Thompson has announced she got engaged on a New Year's trip to Whistler
-
'It Was The Stand-Out Tournament From Start To Finish' - Which Golf Event Was The Best This Year?There have been hundreds of tournaments played throughout 2024 and, in this piece, the Golf Monthly team nominate their most entertaining events from the season
-
'It Was The Out-And-Out Shock Of The Year' - Which Moment In Golf Stood Out Above All Else?2024 has been a year of huge shocks on and off the golf course and, in this piece, the Golf Monthly team have discussed which particular moment stood out to them
-
'The Hardest Category To Judge' - Who Recorded Golf's Round Of The Year?We've been treated to some excellent rounds in 2024 and, below, the Golf Monthly team have given their thoughts on which one they think was the best
-
The 12 Most Underrated Golf Seasons Of 2024Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda dominated men's and women's golf in 2024, but there were plenty of players who saw fine seasons go under the radar - we look at the pick of the bunch
-
10 Predictions Ahead Of The 2025 Golf SeasonWhat does the 2025 golfing calendar hold? As the new season gears up to its start, five Golf Monthly members lay out their predictions for the next 12 months
-
Who Showed 'A Will To Keep Fighting Through The Dark Times' In Golf's Comeback Of The Year?Golf has the capability to throw up some incredible comeback stories and, in 2024, we have seen a number of them throughout
-
'There Could Have Been Another 10 Nominees' - But Who Stood Out As Golf's Amateur Of The Year?There have been plenty of incredible amateur performances in 2024 and, in this piece, the Golf Monthly team debate who deserves the Amateur of the Year accolade
