How Golfers Get Paid, Including How Much Pros the Pros Make

Sam Burns poses after winning the "Schwab" Firebird

  • DESCRIPTION Sam Burns poses after winning the "Schwab" Firebird
  • SOURCE Tom Pennington
  • PERMISSION Getty Image License

For the top golfers in the world there is serious money to be earned, but dissecting how much professional golfers make and how they earn it is tricky. The better the player, the more options that present themselves, but all players in a tournament field have the same chance of winning a big check. This article details how professional golfers make money with some fun financial details that might make you rethink your career choice.

Many golfers who pick up their clubs and muddle through a round of 18 holes can't fathom the idea of ever being good enough to get paid to play as a professional golfer. There are less than 3,000 touring pros on the major tours around the world, but those who are good enough to become household names can make millions of dollars--and not just from prize money.

Do Professional Golfers Earn Salary?

In most professional sports, an athlete signs a contract and earns a combination of a salary and a signing bonus. They are employees of the team and receive a W2, just like many of us, when tax time rolls around. The PGA Tour, however, considers its players to be independent contractors. Players who earn tens of millions of dollars receive a 1099 tax form, which is amazing in itself.

Paying for all expenses related to your job comes with being an independent contractor. This means professional golfers pay for their airfare, meals, lodging, tournament entry, and more. Multiply many of those costs by two to pay for a caddie. For the most successful players on tour, these expenses aren’t as much of a worry for reasons we’ll detail below. For players who are struggling to keep their tour status, these expenses only magnify the pressure to make cuts and finish high on leaderboards.

Average Earning on Tour

According to pgatour.com , the average PGA Tour player earned just under $1.5 million in 2021. That number spans from that year’s money leader, Jon Rahm, who earned a cool $7,705,933 million, to the PGA Tour’s 250th place earner, Parker McLachlin, who earned $6,090.

2021 was a monumental year in that the top four players earned over $7 million (Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, and Collin Morikawa).

Purse and Winning Share

Each PGA Tour event has a purse, which is the total amount of money paid out to the field of players. The tournament then pays each individual player by the order in which they finished.

The average PGA Tour purse for 2022 is $9.1 million. The Player’s Championship offers the largest payout on tour with a total purse of $20 million. Cameron Smith’s win in 2022 earned him a staggering $3.6 million for that event alone.

How Pros Earn Money

Now that we have some baseline information, let’s take a deeper look into how professional golfers get paid.

Tournaments

As detailed above, professional golfers make their biggest financial gains by competing in tournaments. The winner’s share is typically 18 percent of the total purse and a top-20 or top-10 finish secures a healthy payday.

Players who compete in events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup are not compensated, and thus, if they’re a part of the winning team they do not win prize money. In fact, those players pay their own expenses to compete in the event.

In recent years, The Match has become a popular televised golf event that takes place around Thanksgiving. The 2021 edition featured Brooks Koepka against Bryson DeChambeau. Neither player was paid to compete in the event and both Koepka and DeChambeau donated their “winnings” to charity as has become the norm with the event.

Endorsement Deals

In many ways, professional golfers survive and thrive on endorsement deals. The possibilities of what a professional golfer can endorse are seemingly endless. Some examples of industries represented by professional golfers include:

  • Golf Equipment
  • Financial Businesses
  • Auto Manufacturers
  • Medical Businesses
  • Technology Companies

As sports betting becomes more mainstream, you can find professional golfers like Jordan Spieth representing brands like FanDuel.

A large part of the endorsement deal for a professional golfer includes logo placement and visibility. For example, a company will pay a player a premium to have its logo on their hat or the chest of their golf shirt, which is reported to run as high as $500,000. Golf bag logo placement is also a premium location and even caddies can earn some extra money by wearing a sponsored hat or a logo on their shirt sleeve.

Using Tiger Woods as the ultimate example, he earned less than $200,000 on the PGA Tour in 2021 due to injuries. Yet, TIger managed to earn nearly $62 million that year due to his lofty endorsement deals with Nike, TaylorMade, Bridgestone, Take-Two Interactive Software, Hero MotoCorp, and more.

Larger equipment companies such as Titleist are known to have a base amount for new players of around $200,000. The incentives and actual details, however, are rarely disclosed. DeChambeau took up a dual sponsorship with Cobra-Puma in 2016 so he earns from exclusively playing Cobra equipment and wearing Puma apparel. Similar contracts are drawn up for Titleist and its sister brand, FootJoy.

Appearances

Depending on the endorsement deal, a player may be obligated to attend a certain number of events throughout the year. For a player like Morikawa, whose sponsors include Omega and Cadillac, this can include appearing at company meetings, golf outings, and more.

Players who don’t have the top lucrative deals are free to earn as they please when it comes to appearances. Companies can contact the player’s agent and arrange for them to attend an array of events from black-tie dinners to company outings.

According to allamericanspeakers.com , even players such as Jim Furyk and Fred Couples earn $10,000 or more to attend a single event today.

Player Impact Program

New for 2021 was the Player Impact Program, in which the PGA Tour paid players for their impact on social media and surrounding platforms. The PIP was a hot topic because the PGA Tour did not provide a clear formula as to how individuals could win the prize money. In the end, the payout amounted to $40 million dollars spread across the top-10 finishers and it was reported to include aspects such as television coverage, social media, and internet searches, among others. Here is how the inaugural payout went in 2021.

1. Tiger Woods ($8 million)

2. Phil Mickelson ($6 million)

3. Rory McIlroy ($3.5 million)

4. Jordan Spieth ($3.5 million)

5. Bryson DeChambeau ($3.5 million)

6. Justin Thomas ($3.5 million)

7. Dustin Johnson ($3 million)

8. Brooks Koepka ($3 million)

9. Jon Rahm ($3 million)

10. Bubba Watson ($3 million)

The PGA Tour announced that the 2022 PIP would be increased to $50 million dollars. This has added a new revenue stream for PGA Tour players.

How Much Money Does the PGA Tour Make?

2019 PGA Tour IRS Form 990 showing over $72 million in net income

  • DESCRIPTION 2019 PGA Tour IRS Form 990 showing over $72 million in net income
  • SOURCE https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/520999206

In 2019, the PGA Tour reported a net income of $72,772,574 with total revenue of over $1.5 billion and over $1.4 billion in operating costs. With revenue in the billions, there’s no denying that the PGA Tour is a big business. Here are a few of the highlights from the PGA Tour’s 2019 balance sheet.

Jay Monahan's Salary

Jay Monahan grins during a press conference

  • DESCRIPTION Jay Monahan grins during a press conference
  • SOURCE Gregory Shamus

As the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, Jay Monahan earns a hefty $5,378,295 salary as of 2019. His pay went up each year since he took over the role in 2017 through 2019, the most recent year with financial data. For comparison, if Monahan's 2019 salary were included on the 2019 official PGA Tour money list , he would have ranked eighth, between Dustin Johnson, who finished seventh with $5,534,619, and Justin Thomas who won $5,013,084. 

Comparatively Speaking

Let’s take a look at the reported net worth of several top-name PGA Tour players compared to some other big names in the world of sports. The information on this list was obtained from celebritynetworth.com .

LPGA Statistics

The LPGA has come a long way not only in popularity but also in the amount of money professionals earn on and off the course. Here are some statistics from 2021 according to lpga.com .

  • The average on-course earning for an LPGA professional in 2021 was just under $142,000.
  • Jin Young Ko led the LPGA in money with a total of $3,502,161
  • The five players below Jin Young Ko all cleared over $1.5 million dollars (Nelly Korda, Nasa Hataoka, Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, and Yuka Saso).
  • The LPGA saw a massive jump in total purse money for 2022, up from $76 million to $87 million for the year.
  • The largest single event purse for the LPGA in 2022 is the U.S. Women’s Open at $10 million.

No matter how you look at it, getting into the world of professional golf takes immense talent and dedication. Once you reach the big show, however, nothing is guaranteed and you need to produce results in order to continue your journey. For the top players in the world, golf as a job seems to be a dream come true, but it’s all about sustainability.

Golf News Nation

How Much Do LPGA Players Make? Exploring the Earnings of the World’s Top Women Golfers

how much do lpga tour players make

  • March 24, 2023

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has been the premier stage for professional women golfers since its inception in 1950. Showcasing talent from around the world, the LPGA has experienced significant growth over the years. Along with increased media exposure, this growth has led to a rise in the earning potential for LPGA players. In this article, we will explore how much LPGA players make, examining factors such as tournament winnings, endorsements, and other income streams.

Tournament Winnings

The primary source of income for LPGA players is their performance in tournaments. As of 2021, the LPGA Tour consisted of more than 30 events, with total prize money exceeding $75 million. However, not all players share this purse equally. Prize money is distributed based on each player’s performance in a given tournament, with the winner taking home the largest share.

For example, in 2021, the U.S. Women’s Open had the highest purse on the LPGA Tour, at $5.5 million. The winner, Yuka Saso, received $1 million, while the runner-up took home $594,000. Players who missed the cut or finished at the bottom of the leaderboard received significantly less, sometimes just a few thousand dollars.

Endorsements and Sponsorships

Endorsements and sponsorships make up another significant portion of LPGA players’ earnings. Top players often sign deals with major brands, such as Nike, TaylorMade, and Rolex, to wear their products and promote them in exchange for financial compensation. For the most marketable and successful players, endorsement deals can sometimes surpass their tournament earnings.

Inbee Park, for instance, who has won numerous major championships, has been sponsored by companies like KB Financial Group, Srixon, and FILA. Although specific figures for these deals are not publicly disclosed, they are estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

Teaching and Appearance Fees

Some LPGA players supplement their income by offering private lessons, clinics, and corporate events. These engagements provide additional revenue streams and opportunities for players to interact with fans and promote their personal brand. Rates for these services can vary depending on the player’s profile and skill level, but top-tier players can charge thousands of dollars for an appearance.

LPGA Player Earnings: The Bottom Line

The amount an LPGA player makes depends on several factors, including her performance in tournaments, the number and size of her endorsement deals, and her involvement in teaching or appearances. For the top players, annual earnings can reach into the millions of dollars, while lower-ranked players may struggle to make a comfortable living.

It is important to note that the LPGA Tour has experienced significant growth in recent years, with total prize money and sponsorship deals increasing. This trend is expected to continue, and as the sport gains more popularity and recognition, the earning potential of LPGA players is likely to increase.

how much do lpga tour players make

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Making Moves: Hannah Green Cracks the Top 10

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Hannah Green

The Move of the Week belongs to Hannah Green, who jumped 10 spots in the world rankings with her victory at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. She moved from No. 18 to No. 8 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, the highest rank of her career.

The Australian clinched her fifth win on Sunday at Wilshire Country Club, defeating Maja Stark by three strokes to successfully defend her title and secure her second victory of the season in Los Angeles, Calif. The victory helped her ultimately crack the top 10 in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in her career, and Green is well on her way to representing Australia at the Olympics for a second time, having first done so in Tokyo, where she finished in a tie for fifth.

"It's definitely been on my mind. Still have six or seven weeks until the team is announced, so still a lot that can happen between now and then,” said the Olympian. “Now that I've had two wins in the season, obviously this jumps me close to the Top 10 in the world and solidifies my spot.

“Grace (Kim) unfortunately didn't have the weekend she wanted, but I know she's capable of playing really good golf. Gabi Ruffels, Steph Kyriacou and Karis Davidson are all striving to be the best they can be. I don't want to assume I'm on the team. Still fighting for the second spot. Whatever I do between now and KPMG, I'm just going to try and play my best golf and hope to make that team."

At just 27 years old, Green has amassed 24 career top 10s, including five wins, and made over $5.3 million in career earnings since becoming an LPGA Tour member in 2018. So far this season, the Aussie is definitely moving in the right direction. She is ranked second in the Rolex Player of the Year race, third in the Race to the CME Globe standings (1,043.975 points), third in scoring average (69.950) and third on the Official Money List with $861,302 in season earnings.

Olympic Hopeful Maja Stark Makes Move in Rankings

Maja Stark fell short of capturing her second career LPGA Tour win at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro, but her runner-up finish moved her up 12 spots to No. 16 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Ranking and from fifth to fourth in the Race to the CME Globe standings.

With the 2024 Olympics on the horizon, most players want to play well and move up in the rankings in hopes of representing their country in Paris, and for the Swede, it's no different. She says she is not feeling a great deal of pressure, but Stark hears the chatter.

"There was a lot of talk about the Olympics in the media,” said Stark when asked if she was feeling any pressure after back-to-back runner-up performances. “I hadn't seen them talking much about the Olympics before Chevron, but then all of a sudden, it feels like people were saying that I was basically in it, which is really not the case. There is a long way left.

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Stark has two additional top-10s this season, including a solo second at The Chevron Championship and a tie for third at the Ford Championship presented by KCC. She also ranks second on the Official Money List and is fourth in the Rolex Player of the Year standings.

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How do LPGA players make an income when they're not making the cut?

pmcuk

By pmcuk April 28, 2022 in LPGA/Ladies golf talk

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Can you guys explain the economics of being a LPGA player? Where does the income come from when you're not making the cut in most events?

Is the income from teaching and being attached to the staff of clubs or what? And what's the average expense of being on the tour, including travel, per diem etc? 

Are some players having to drop off the tour for economic reasons or do they all stay afloat somehow? 

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April 28, 2022

The short answer is that most don't.  Great info posted by @JungleJimbo above.     Here's a link to a reply I posted to a thread a while back.  Sponsorship money pays some of the day to day

It really is.  I did 4 seasons in Europe and 1 in Japan.  The JLPGA prize money made my cut pretty sweet for a top 5.  Even with a winner on the LET, my cut barely covered expenses.  

Phreddy

May 3, 2022

Our family has hosted players from the Symetra/Epson tour in the past.  While it is not a direct comparison to the LPGA, it is illustrative.  The general consensus among the players we have known was

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how much do lpga tour players make

Most have sponsors that pay their way in return for a percentage of their earnings. If the golfer doesn’t make money the sponsor losses money 

JungleJimbo

40 minutes ago, pmcuk said: Can you guys explain the economics of being a LPGA player? Where does the income come from when you're not making the cut in most events?   Is the income from teaching and being attached to the staff of clubs or what? And what's the average expense of being on the tour, including travel, per diem etc?    Are some players having to drop off the tour for economic reasons or do they all stay afloat somehow? 

@pmcuk  There was a Golf Digest podcast/ detailed article on journeywomen LPGA players and the “bootstrapping” / perpetual hustle-hustle-hustle involved. (Circa Oct 2020)  

here’s the Link.   

(Nov 2021 four-part series/ “Best of” compilation:  https://www.golfdigest.com/story/podcast-money-pga-tour-lpga-tour

(Oct2020) “Our latest podcast examines the financial realities of the average LPGA Tour player”:  https://www.golfdigest.com/story/lpga-tour-finances-podcast/

From Nov 2021:

“To celebrate the completion of two seasons of   Local Knowledge , we’re releasing a special four-part series where we revisit some of our favorite episodes.

The second installment is all about money. How do you afford pro golf when you’re just starting out? Who’s making a ton of money? Who’s making too little?

We first look at   the PGA Tour , and the big purses and huge endorsement deals modern players earn. From Arnie to Tiger, we explore how the tour evolved into its current lucrative state.

From there, we look at   the LPGA Tour   (9:44 mark), where players’ financial situations are more precarious. While top players can make a good living, as you move down the money list, things get less comfortable. We talk to LPGA Tour players and other in the industry about the financial realities of being a female Tour player.

We next look at how expensive Tour life is, and   how up-and-comers afford it   (19:53 mark). One means of doing so, which the episode is based on, is players finding a single benefactor to fund them—known jokingly as "a Sugar Daddy." Often done over a handshake instead of a formal contract, these deals can get complicated.

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2 hours ago, pmcuk said: Can you guys explain the economics of being a LPGA player? Where does the income come from when you're not making the cut in most events?   Is the income from teaching and being attached to the staff of clubs or what? And what's the average expense of being on the tour, including travel, per diem etc?    Are some players having to drop off the tour for economic reasons or do they all stay afloat somehow? 

@pmcuk  FYI this GolfWRX article (from Nov2021)= also relevant to your question?

https://www.golfwrx.com/664995/former-lpga-pro-shares-detailed-breakdown-of-expenses-for-a-year-on-symetra-tour/

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The short answer is that most don't.  Great info posted by @JungleJimbo  above.  

Here's a link to a reply I posted to a thread a while back.  Sponsorship money pays some of the day to day bills, but if the player isn't in the top 25 almost every week, the LPGA purses make breaking even tough.  If the player isn't making cuts, they are hemorrhaging cash at an alarming rate.  

Most of the time, my paychecks came from the agent while the younger player was getting her feet planted.  In 30+ years on the bag, I only had a couple of established players that were in the money every week.

6 hours ago, pmcuk said: Can you guys explain the economics of being a LPGA player? Where does the income come from when you're not making the cut in most events?

Not an LPGA player, but a situation that is not too uncommon among the women.  She is also an LET player this season:

https://bit.ly/GoingAll-In

50 minutes ago, Golf Dino said:   Not an LPGA player, but a situation that is not too uncommon among the women.  She is also an LET player this season:   https://bit.ly/GoingAll-In

LET payouts are pathetic, especially with the high cost of living in Europe.  

43 minutes ago, OnTheBag said: LET payouts are pathetic, especially with the high cost of living in Europe.  

Sad isn't it . . . And the LET has more in prize money than the Epson/Symetra Tour.   Is it any wonder that many of the Asian players stay at home and try to play on either the JLPGA (preferably) or the KLPGA when their prize money is fairly high and the travel is limited - rhetorically speaking.

12 minutes ago, Golf Dino said:     Sad isn't it . . . And the LET has more in prize money than the Epson/Symetra Tour.   Is it any wonder that many of the Asian players stay at home and try to play on either the JLPGA (preferably) or the KLPGA when their prize money is fairly high and the travel is limited - rhetorically speaking.

Titleist_PT23

Titleist_PT23

Hope players can make more money across the board but if they can't that's their problem.  Truth is people burn cash funding hopes and dreams in "everyday" jobs too.  There is no law that says a "professional" whatever needs to make a comfortable living.

Honestly, I know everyone here loves the game but this seems just like the people that want someone else to pay for their student loans.

I've said it before but the two options are a) figure out how to get more money coming in the door (for the tour collectively) or b) re-distribute the purses so the top makes less and the bottom makes more.  In the extreme, give the winner $143 more than the last place finisher.

Confused

mikedellgolf

On 4/28/2022 at 12:55 PM, OnTheBag said: LET payouts are pathetic, especially with the high cost of living in Europe.  

I listened to Gabby's podcast and by looking at her appearance, Gabby definitely has the "it" factor.  What Gabby needs is a better agent.  What her agent needs to do is to promote Gabby to both the high-tech and FinTech industries.  Gabby's "it" factor will get her a lot of money, enough to cover her cost on the LET tour for the next ten years.  $70k/year from a high tech or Fintech company is even less than bread crumbs on the floor.  

HankScorpio

HankScorpio

4 hours ago, mikedellgolf said: I listened to Gabby's podcast and by looking at her appearance, Gabby definitely has the "it" factor.  What Gabby needs is a better agent.  What her agent needs to do is to promote Gabby to both the high-tech and FinTech industries.  Gabby's "it" factor will get her a lot of money, enough to cover her cost on the LET tour for the next ten years.  $70k/year from a high tech or Fintech company is even less than bread crumbs on the floor.  

It definitely highlights the challenges that many players face.  Glad to see her perseverance resulted in some success.  

The more I read about Gabby Then, the more I am convinced that Gabby needs to fire her current agent and hire a new one.  Gabby's background is Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch.  That makes Gabby VERY marketable in the Asia/Pacific market.  Asian people love Euro-Asians, and we can't get enough of it.  Ellien Gu is raking in so much money from endorsements in China because she is an Olympic gold medal winner but also because she is half Chinese and half white.  Gabby should make even more money than Gu because she plays golf, the most exclusive sport in Asia, and Gabby has the "it" factor.  Gabby should be raking in at least 10M/year in endorsements in the China and Asia/Pacific market.  She shouldn't be struggling for money like this.

ChronicSlicer

6 hours ago, mikedellgolf said: The more I read about Gabby Then, the more I am convinced that Gabby needs to fire her current agent and hire a new one.  Gabby's background is Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch.  That makes Gabby VERY marketable in the Asia/Pacific market.  Asian people love Euro-Asians, and we can't get enough of it.  Ellien Gu is raking in so much money from endorsements in China because she is an Olympic gold medal winner but also because she is half Chinese and half white.  Gabby should make even more money than Gu because she plays golf, the most exclusive sport in Asia, and Gabby has the "it" factor.  Gabby should be raking in at least 10M/year in endorsements in the China and Asia/Pacific market.  She shouldn't be struggling for money like this.    

Nothing against Gabby but why should the 507th ranked player in the world who has managed 1 win and 1 other top ten in 42 career professional events command 10M in endorsements? No offense but her ethnicity alone ain't gonna make that happen.That's completely insane. Far as I can tell, she hasn't even played an LPGA Tour event. ( I could be wrong, but if she has it's not listed on the Rolex Rankings events played)

Sad

Seamus_McDuff

Then’s biggest decision right now is how to go about the rest of her year. With an EPSON win it would make sense to try to finish Top 10 and get her card but she also has LET status. She’s currently entered in at least the next two LET events — including this week — but not the next EPSON event. 

10 hours ago, ChronicSlicer said: Nothing against Gabby but why should the 507th ranked player in the world who has managed 1 win and 1 other top ten in 42 career professional events command 10M in endorsements? No offense but her ethnicity alone ain't gonna make that happen.That's completely insane. Far as I can tell, she hasn't even played an LPGA Tour event. ( I could be wrong, but if she has it's not listed on the Rolex Rankings events played)

Kylie Jenner came out of nowhere to make lot of money and she doesn't have the look that Then has.  Then will be a big hit in Asia/Pacific just by her ethnicity alone.  She needs to hire a better agent and public relation team.

Forged4life

4 minutes ago, mikedellgolf said: Kylie Jenner came out of nowhere to make lot of money and she doesn't have the look that Then has.  Then will be a big hit in Asia/Pacific just by her ethnicity alone.  She needs to hire a better agent and public relation team.

Is Kylie on the LPGA tour?

she didn’t “come out of nowhere”. She from probably the most famous family on earth (unfortunately) and her whole life has been on tv.   

Not sure how this is even a comparison 

fairways4life

53 minutes ago, mikedellgolf said: Kylie Jenner came out of nowhere to make lot of money and she doesn't have the look that Then has.  Then will be a big hit in Asia/Pacific just by her ethnicity alone.  She needs to hire a better agent and public relation team.

I don't know if I would call her situation "coming out of nowhere." 

Haha

Our family has hosted players from the Symetra/Epson tour in the past.  While it is not a direct comparison to the LPGA, it is illustrative.  The general consensus among the players we have known was that between travel, lodging, food and entry fees a player would lose $50,000.00 /season if they played in all the Symetra/Epson tour events, made every cut but finished outside the top 5.  For a developmental tour the entry fees were stupidly high.  Without corporate sponsorship or a moneyed backer it is a tough row to hoe.  While there is certainly more money floating around the LPGA tour in purses and sponsorship dollars the journeywoman player is pinching pennies.  You don't see "Netjets" labels plastered on every LPGA player like you do on the PGA tour and the cost of flying commercial these days, particularly with $100/barrel oil, has got to be a budget killer.

If you need a grinder to make your weld look good, you are a grinder not a welder.

On 5/3/2022 at 3:25 AM, mikedellgolf said: The more I read about Gabby Then, the more I am convinced that Gabby needs to fire her current agent and hire a new one.  Gabby's background is Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch.  That makes Gabby VERY marketable in the Asia/Pacific market.  Asian people love Euro-Asians, and we can't get enough of it.  Ellien Gu is raking in so much money from endorsements in China because she is an Olympic gold medal winner but also because she is half Chinese and half white.  Gabby should make even more money than Gu because she plays golf, the most exclusive sport in Asia, and Gabby has the "it" factor.  Gabby should be raking in at least 10M/year in endorsements in the China and Asia/Pacific market.  She shouldn't be struggling for money like this.    
On 5/3/2022 at 10:09 AM, ChronicSlicer said: Nothing against Gabby but why should the 507th ranked player in the world who has managed 1 win and 1 other top ten in 42 career professional events command 10M in endorsements? No offense but her ethnicity alone ain't gonna make that happen.That's completely insane. Far as I can tell, she hasn't even played an LPGA Tour event. ( I could be wrong, but if she has it's not listed on the Rolex Rankings events played)

"+1" w.r.t. @ChronicSlicer 's view that those quoted figures = "10M/year in endorsements" are unlikely for a pro golfer (for now).   This GolfWeek article provides some context, e.g. the LPGA ranked #1 and #2 (JYK and Nelly Korda) were the only LPGA golf pro's on the "Top 10 endorsements" list ( and still made significantly less than $10mil).   https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/01/14/golf-forbes-highest-paid-female-athletes-jin-young-ko-nelly-korda/  

IMHO... Eileen Gu's endorsements = a confluence of many things, e.g. (A) Circumstances/Situation: i.e. The Beijing Winter Olympics, and her switch to representing China along with dominance in her sport / real potential for winning a Winter Olympics gold medal  (hence prominent exposure on TV both in China and the USA),

coupled with

(B) Eileen's ability to transcend her sport into the world of celebrity endorsements/fashion/etc (along with her bi-lingual English/ native Mandarin Chinese language ability & cross-cultural personality)

..Details: Refer to the WSJ analysis (Youtube video) linked below, " Olympian Eileen Gu’s Marketing Power: The Risks and Rewards for Brands | WSJ " (17Feb2022)

==== I doubt there's currently a similar confluence of (A) and (B) that would be enablers for any LPGA pro to get to Eileen Gu's level of commercial endorsements? (IMHO... perhaps Michelle Wie was the nearest comparative?)

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/while-americans-watched-the-super-bowl-china-was-honed-in-on-olympic-star-eileen-gu-051411660.html  

Quote Quote : " Gu is quite literally the face of these Olympics. Her image is everywhere in China, present on commercials, billboards and every single shopping bag handed out at the Olympics’ official stores.   She's also a flashpoint of geopolitical controversy ; raised American but skiing for China... "

@18majors  started a thread on LPGA purses & endorsements, which has related useful info ... including instagram follower stats   😬 🚫 🤬 (Link below).

📝 Notwithstanding the above... there are still many many LPGA pros (and others just starting their pro golf aspirations... eg Gabriella Then ?) who are deserving of our attention/support (irrespective of whether they can perform gymnastics 🤸‍♀️ / backflips on-demand, similar to Carly Booth in the twitter link below!)

On 5/2/2022 at 12:25 PM, mikedellgolf said: The more I read about Gabby Then, the more I am convinced that Gabby needs to fire her current agent and hire a new one.  Gabby's background is Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch.  That makes Gabby VERY marketable in the Asia/Pacific market.  Asian people love Euro-Asians, and we can't get enough of it.  Ellien Gu is raking in so much money from endorsements in China because she is an Olympic gold medal winner but also because she is half Chinese and half white.  Gabby should make even more money than Gu because she plays golf, the most exclusive sport in Asia, and Gabby has the "it" factor.  Gabby should be raking in at least 10M/year in endorsements in the China and Asia/Pacific market.  She shouldn't be struggling for money like this.    

HAHA. I cant believe how ridiculous your thinking is. You are bashing women's sports financials in one forum and then here suggesting Then should be making 10M in endorsements because she's a middling second tier pro, but kinda pretty? Eileen Gu was a high end runway model AND a world class athlete BEFORE the Olympics. Now she's a gold medal winner and STILL one of the most in demand models. Gu was a Louis Vuitton ambassador even prior to winning gold. Then is cute - for a golfer. This is coming from someone who actually knows Gabby.

You want to help Gabby make more money? Support women's golf by watching it.

iBanesto

On 5/3/2022 at 10:45 PM, mikedellgolf said: Kylie Jenner came out of nowhere to make lot of money and she doesn't have the look that Then has.  Then will be a big hit in Asia/Pacific just by her ethnicity alone.  She needs to hire a better agent and public relation team.

For the Gabby Then fans 🙂    

Gabby Then, a copywriter's dream:

Now and Then

Then and now

Go on, Then

Then and there

There and Then

If not Then, when?

If not Then, who?

Bring on that $10m!

Srixon Z785 @ 10.5°  Fujikura Atmos 6 X 44.5”  //    Cobra King Ltd FWY  @ 15.5° XCaliber FW S 43"  //    Cobra F7 FWY   @ 18.5°   Aldila Tour Blue ATX 85 S 42.5" //   Titleist 818H1 #4  @ 20°  Project X  Hzardus Smoke Red RDX 80g 6.0 40" // Titleist 818H1 #6  @ 24°   XCaliber HY S 39.25" //  Srixon Z565 6-PW:    6,7   KBS PGI 90 tipped for S SSx1,   8,9  Fuji Pro 85i S SSx1,   PW  Fuji Pro 95i S SSx1 //  Cleveland CBX 50.11   Fuji Pro 95i S SSx1  //   Cleveland RTX3 56.14  bent  55.13  //    Nike VR X3X Toe Sweep 58.10   //    TaylorMade  Spider Tour Red #3 Sightline 34" Super Stroke Pistol GT 2.0 //    Titleist  Pro V1x  //   McGregor   Hybrid Stand/Cart Bag

Again, I've said now and then, but I am happy for Gabby.  She set the course record at 64 . . . only to see it beaten by the leader a few hours later after she posted a 63.  

Amazing she’s playing so well with all the travel. 

@Rapidcat  and/or @Raving Shanker ... were you that “guardian angel 👼 “ who helped fix Genevieve Ling’s flat/exploded tire? (Timestamp ~40s), and saved her journey to the NSW Open at Bonville recently?

🤔 🗣Quote at timestamp ~9m47s ... “ Wait, what is this labelled as “Australian Meat 🇦🇺 “ in this sausage roll... it better not be kangaroo! 🦘 “

(isn’t Roo meat = Super Lean & quite delicious?)

17A0AB12-693A-4660-BD6F-6799AF3E29A5.png

@JungleJimbo  . . . you mean LING and not KING . . . as in you must have been using a device with predictive text!  🙂  

39 minutes ago, Golf Dino said: @JungleJimbo  . . . you mean LING and not KING . . . as in you must have been using a device with predictive text!  🙂    

@Golf Dino ... yes... darn auto-correct! 🤬 thanks for your eagle-eyed spot! 🦅 🧐 pity Genevieve Ling had a blowup on one hole in R4 (a NINE on a par4 hole 13!) ... circa R3 she was only a couple shots off the lead! https://ladieseuropeantour.com/reports-page/?tourn=NSWO&tclass=rnk&report=tmscores~season=2022~params=P*4ESC04~#/profile

GenevieveLing_NSW-Open_Scorecard-R4_Screenshot_2022-05-10.png

10 hours ago, JungleJimbo said: @Rapidcat  and/or @Raving Shanker ... were you that “guardian angel 👼 “ who helped fix Genevieve Ling’s flat/exploded tire? (Timestamp ~40s), and saved her journey to the NSW Open at Bonville recently?   🤔 🗣Quote at timestamp ~9m47s... “ Wait, what is this labelled as “Australian Meat 🇦🇺 “ in this sausage roll... it better not be kangaroo! 🦘 “   (isn’t Roo meat = Super Lean & quite delicious?)  

@JungleJimbo Ah, the sausage roll (no Kangaroo meat), Australia’s contribution to haute cuisine, just like the meat pie (with ‘dead’ horse’ = sauce, never ketchup if you want to be authentic):

image.png.4ce505b1b02d4457f923cab6f2e8a14b.png

In Adelaide of course they have the pie floater, an upside-down pie with pea soup or pea puree ladled over it, often the consumer may add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce or even malt vinegar – food of the Gods, tastes much better than it looks (thank heavens):

image.png.d46bf97521d9077c0369bba641ec60e2.png

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How Much Do Women Golfers Make? LPGA Income

Women’s golf income/pay.

Women’s golf has not gained as much popularity as men’s golf has. However, there are professional lady golf players who are earning a decent living and have a luxurious life from golf.

A salary of $1 million or more is what most top female golfers take home. Others take part in various endorsements earning them extra dollars.

Just like the men’s golf, salaries vary with their level on different golf tours, increasing gradually from amateurs to professional players at LPGA.

  • Top 20 Women’s Golfers of All-Time
  • Women’s Golf Club Buying Guide

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Income from LPGA

According to the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) list, the average income of all players is $141,428.

The top ten players have an average of $1,320,900 having played in a minimum of 20 tournaments. The professional players and top-earners also benefit from sponsorship contracts and lucrative merchandising.

More opportunities for the players depend on how LPGA adds new tour events every year, which comes with an increase in the prize money.

This means more earnings for the players who win the most tournaments. In the most recent year, the total prize money was over $68 million.

Salaries also vary with tournament and country. Other golfers play part-time while others only participate in less competitive tours which do not have high prize money.

Resource: Practice Plan + Training System to Lower Scores Fast

Top 10 List of the Highest-Paid Women Golfers

Anika sorenstam.

Anika Sorenstam is currently the highest-earning LPGA player. Her golf career has made her about $20 million in tournament prize money. The famous golf player also makes money from sponsorships.

Kerrie Webb

Webb has earned over $18.5 million in her career as a golfer. All these are a result of the dedication and the love that Webb has shown for golfing ever since she became professional. She has won up to seven major champion winnings.

Lexi Thompson

Lexi Thompson is listed among the top 10 highly paid lady golfers by the LPGA. Even though she initially earned most of her money from endorsements, Lexi’s golf career isn’t doing badly at $13 million net worth.

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Christie Kerr

Kerr is among the top-earning women golf players currently accumulated winnings worth $15.1 million. Her hard work and dedication has earned her a lot of tournament prizes and made her rank among the best female golf players worldwide.

Michelle Wie

The 28-year-old LPGA player also enjoys huge earnings from golf tournaments. Wie is currently at a net worth of $12.8 million which are from LPGA tournaments. Mitchel also signed endorsement deals with Callaway earning her more income.

Na Yeon Choi

Na Yeon Choi is an LPGA golfer from South Korea who is also earning huge money in her golf career. Her estimated net worth is $8 million. The lady golfer earned almost $1.9 million in 2010 playing 22 tournaments in the LPGA Tour.

Tseng is the youngest lady golfer to win a major championship. She is listed among the top 100 most influential people in the world and has golf winnings of up to $ 9.4 million under her name.

Paula Creamer

Paula has won herself up to 12 professional championships with 10 of them being under the LPGA Tour. Paula has accumulated up to $10.8 million in her golf career.

Suzann Petersen

Susan has a net worth of $11.8 million playing golf. She is among the top-ranked female golfers in the world and has won up to 12 professional championships.

Se Ri Pak is a South Korean LPGA Tour player whose golf career have earned up to $12.8 million. At the age 36, Pak has won several professional championships making her a name as one of the highest-earning female golfers.

Other ways of earning for Women Golfers

Sponsorship contracts.

  • These are limited to the golfers who make it among the top 20 or 30 players. The earnings can be equal to their tour earnings or exceed.

Product endorsements.

  • Lexi Thompson is one female golfer who apart from playing golf earns from endorsing products. Currently, she has endorsed a multi-year deal with Bridgestone to promote their Golf line of high performance balls.

Appearance fees.

  • Professional golfers get paid when they agree to show up and play for a tournament. This fee is paid whether the golfer wins or misses the cut.

Tournament Winnings

In 2019 the U.S. Women’s Open had a purse of $5.5 million, $500,000 increase from last year. Of all women’s golf, this is the largest purse.

The winner will take home a $1 million check for the first time.

However, it will not be the highest this year for the woman golfer who will win as the CME Championship will give out $1.5 million later in the year.

Professionals will get a portion of the purse. Participants who are amateur will get a reimbursement for expenses incurred during championship week travel.

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Follow these step by step practice plans and watch video lessons to learn how to improve your golf swing, chipping, and putting fundamentals.

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By: M.L. Rose

Published: 31 January, 2023

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How Much Does a Professional Golfer Pay to Play in a Tournament?

Except at the highest levels, professional golfers must pay entry fees to play in tournaments. It may seem counterintuitive, but a player at the top of golf’s food chain often doesn’t have to pay an entry fee, because expenses for high-profile tournaments are covered by sponsors and TV networks.

Entry fees often increase as you move down golf’s ladder of success, in part because the fees fund the tournament’s prize pool. All fees quoted below are current as of the date of publication.

A PGA Tour player who’s exempt from qualifying doesn’t have to pay entry fees for tour events. He does pay a $100 initiation fee, then $100 in annual dues. The only expense he must pay to play in a tournament is a mandatory $50 locker room fee.

Most professionals competing in a pre-tournament qualifying event pay entry fees of $400 apiece, except for Champions and Nationwide Tour players ($100 each) and non-exempt PGA Tour members (no entry fee). If a player who is not a member of the PGA qualifies for a PGA Tour event, he must pay what the tour terms "limited dues" of $50, but he pays no other entry fee.

LPGA Futures Tour

The LPGA Futures Tour -- a developmental circuit for the LPGA Tour -- charges all golfers a $500 entry fee for each tournament. To play in a qualifying tournament, Futures Tour members pay $200, amateurs invited by the tournament sponsor pay $230, and non-LPGA players pay $500.

NGA Tour Pro Series

The largest of the mini-tours in the United States, the NGA Tour Pro Series, includes four separate tours. The NGA Carolina Summer Series charges a membership fee of $750. For individual tournaments, members pay $600 while nonmembers pay $800.

The Bridgestone Winter Series is the most expensive tour, with a membership fee of $1,250 and tournament entry fees of $800 and $1,100 for members and nonmembers, respectively. Membership for the Carolina Winter Series is $700. Members pay between $600 and $700 to enter each tournament while nonmembers pay between $800 and $900. Members of any facet of the NGA Pro Golf Series pay an $800 entry fee to play in the Q School Prep Series while nonmembers are charged $1,000.

Other Pro Tours

Competitors pay $399 to play in Canadian Women’s Tour events.

Gateway Tour members pay $1,000 for the season and $1,150 for each tournament. Nonmembers just pay $1,350 per event. Another U.S. mini-tour, the eGolf Professional Tour, charges an $1,150 entry fee for tour members and $1,390 for nonmembers.

Members of the Golden State Tour, a smaller California series, pay a $250 entry fee for 18-hole tournaments, $450 for 36 holes and $650 for 54-hole events. Nonmembers pay $280, $500 and $750, respectively, for each level. Membership costs $400 if paid by the early deadline, or $500 afterward.

M.L. Rose has worked as a print and online journalist for more than 20 years. He has contributed to a variety of national and local publications, specializing in sports writing. Rose holds a B.A. in communications.

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Former LPGA pro shares detailed breakdown of expenses for a year on Symetra Tour

how much do lpga tour players make

Earlier this week, professional golfer Hannah Gregg opened up on the harsh financial demands of a player on the Symetra Tour.

Gregg, a second-year professional and rookie on the developmental Symetra Tour, spoke to Golf Monthly about the difficulty of making ends meet even for the best players on feeder tours, with their future in the game constantly up in the air.

  • Related:  How much does it cost to chase the dream of playing pro golf?

Included in Gregg’s takeaways was that her annual expenses cost on average $50k and that the WAPT (Women’s All Pro Tour) is the highest paying development tour, with the average winner of high-paying events earning $5-7k for a victory. With expenses for a cheap tournament generally coming in at $1.5-2k, players need to average finishing in the top-3 of each event to make a profit.

As Gregg points out in the interview: “expecting to average top-three for an entire season is not feasible. Even the best players on tour miss cuts and have bad stretches.” and that progression leads to more expenses, “when you do play well and start winning, you generally start moving up to the next level where travel and accommodation are even more expensive. Suddenly, you need to figure out how to pay a caddie.”

  • Related:  Golf clubs of the top 50 LPGA pros (WITB)

Former LPGA professional Anya Alvarez has since praised Gregg for speaking up on the topic and subsequently produced a very interesting breakdown of her expenses for a year of playing on the Symetra Tour.

It’s worth noting that the figures are from almost 9 years ago, and as she wrote on Twitter to accompany the breakdown, Alvarez said,  “I drove to 90% of events, stayed with host families, and often didn’t have a caddie. LPGA expenses were much more.”  

It’s also worth noting that per SymetraTour.com , the highest earner on the Symetra Tour in 2013 earned $47,283 in prize money.

how much do lpga tour players make

@anya__alvarez

Going back to Gregg’s recent interview, the Symetra pro revealed that the harsh financial demands end up making it unattainable for many talented players to continue in the sport:

“Lots of girls stop playing because they can’t afford Q-School, which is the most expensive event of the year.” she says. “if you don’t play in that, then you have no Tour status and are left with very few events to play in. You get phased out and others just lap you.”

In another eye-opening tweet from Alvarez, who is the founder of  MajorLeagueGirls.com , a website that promotes women’s sports, she stated that “players who are talented beyond measure and had some success were forced to quit playing because they financially couldn’t do it anymore”, resulting in “the talent on tour being diluted.”

100%. I know many players who had very wealthy families who bankrolled them for years despite zero progress or never being able to keep card, while other players who talented beyond measure & had some success were forced to quit playing bc they financially couldn’t do it anymore — Anya Alvarez ????? (@anya__alvarez) November 17, 2021

How can things change? In Gregg’s original interview, she shared her opinion that it begins with building up women’s sports and acknowledging that there is a quality product there – something that anyone who watches the LPGA will undoubtedly attest to.

Gregg told Golf Monthly :

“When it comes to making purses bigger and getting donations from sponsors, everyone has an excuse.

I always hear ‘well the women aren’t fun to watch’ but I’ve never understood that. The men weren’t popular to watch compared to the scale they are now. It takes years of marketing and people engaging with women’s sports for them to have a chance to succeed and grow. 

If people really want to help, we should start building up women’s sports and acknowledging that there is a quality product there. Help us raise money when you can, spread the word and find players that you like to watch and then follow their careers.

All of us love knowing that people out there are enjoying our journey and it makes even the struggles that much more enjoyable.”

Plenty of food for thought.

More from the 19th Hole

  • Lexi Thompson staying positive after recently making big putting adjustment
  • Symetra pro opens up on the harsh financial realities of life on Tour
  • Why Nelly Korda has hired a new swing coach despite season of dominance

how much do lpga tour players make

How much each player won at the 2021 CME Group Tour Championship

Rory Sabbatini DQ’d from RSM Classic for having non-conforming attachment on clubface

how much do lpga tour players make

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected] .

how much do lpga tour players make

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Vincenzi’s liv golf singapore betting preview: course specialist ready to thrive once again.

how much do lpga tour players make

After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.

Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.

Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”

Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.

“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.

Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.

“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”

“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”

As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.

In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.

“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”

Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.

Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:

Fairways hit.

1.) Louis Oosthuizen

2.) Anirban Lahiri

3.) Jon Rahm

4.) Brendan Steele

5.) Cameron Tringale

Greens in Regulation

1.) Brooks Koepka

2.) Brendan Steele

3.) Dean Burmester

4.) Cameron Tringale

5.) Anirban Lahiri

Birdies Made

1.) Brendan Steele

2.) Dean Burmester

3.) Thomas Pieters

4.) Patrick Reed

5.) Carlos Ortiz

LIV Golf Individual Standings:

1.) Joaquin Niemann

2.) Jon Rahm

4.) Louis Oosthuizen

5.) Abraham Ancer

LIV Golf Team Standings:

1.) Crushers

2.) Legion XIII

4.) Stinger GC

5.) Ripper GC

LIV Golf Singapore Picks

Sergio garcia +3000 (draftkings).

Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.

This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.

Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)

Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.

This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.

It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.

Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)

Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.

Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.

Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.

Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)

Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.

Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.

If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.

LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years

how much do lpga tour players make

After fourteen years together, LIV Golf’s Adrian Meronk has decided to part ways with his swing coach, Matthew Tipper.

On Monday, Tipper announced the split via social media.

pic.twitter.com/Q6klxxgyW0 — Matthew Tipper (@Matthew__Tipper) April 29, 2024

“After 14 years sometimes things just come to an end. Last week Adrian decided he wanted to go a new way and I have to respect that decision. I’m proud of everything we achieved together.

“I knew in 2010 he was a great talent and he has only gone to prove that all over the world. To Pietro Gobinho and Stuart Beck, thank you for being amazing caddies when Adrian needed you. Your support and co-operation has been invaluable and I thank you both.

“I want to publicly thank Adrian for allowing me to sit in the best seat in the house for 14 years.

“It’s now time to start my new chapter in the USA alongside my mentor James Sieckmann and I’m excited to go to my first Korn Ferry Tour event later next month. As always tomorrow we begin again.”

Meronk is having a poor season by his standards on LIV. The reigning DP World Tour player had some solid finishes early in the year, finishing T9 and T6 at LIV Las Vegas and LIV Jeddah, but missed the cut at the Masters and has failed to crack the top-10 in his past three LIV starts.

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LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you

how much do lpga tour players make

On Friday morning, Ladies European Tour player, Hannah Gregg, took to social media to share her weekly expenses playing on the LET.

Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350 Food: $377 Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week! ? Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car ??… — Hannah Gregg (@hannahbggg) April 26, 2024

“Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350 

  • Food: $377 
  • Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé 
  • Hotel: $0 because   @GregChalmersPGA  sorted me host housing for the week!  
  • Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car  
  • Entry Fee: $130 
  • Lounge Pass for caddie: $50 
  • Yardage book: $0 
  • Total expenses: $3672 

Made cut, finished 54th, total earned: $1244 Factor in 35% tax on earnings. To break even, needed to finish 24th. To make money, 21st. Guess we have our goals laid out for next event!”

When factoring in Gregg’s free housing, free caddie and free rental car, it’s evident that most LET players would have to finish well inside of the top-20 to make any money.

With ridiculous amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf these days, it’s important to remember the other side of the coin as well. There are countless professionals out there who struggle to get by on their golf salary.

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Stitch Golf

How Much Do PGA Players Make?

Whether you’re considering taking your talents professionally or just curious about how much PGA players earn, you may be shocked to learn how much professional golfers make. For the best golfers on the planet, there is some serious money to earn. 

Typically, the better the player, the more opportunities that present themselves. But not everyone can become a household name and earn millions of dollars. We’ll explore how much PGA players make and all the various ways they earn a living, even if they’re not among the top golfers. 

Do Professional Golfers Earn a Salary?

In professional sports, athletes typically sign contracts and get paid through a combination of salary and signing bonuses based on their performance. 

Professional golfers are different since   the PGA Tour   categorizes golfers as independent contractors. Instead, they earn their money solely based on their performance and success. 

Many top golfers will make much more money from sponsorship and endorsement deals than their playing career earnings. Additionally, some professional golfers earn money through appearance fees for celebrity tournaments or charity events. 

How Do Golf Pros Earn Money?

PGA Tour golf pros earn money through various sources, including tournament prize money, appearances, endorsement deals, and the Player Impact Program. 

Tournaments

Tournament earnings are the primary income source for many golf pros, except for the marketable celebrity golfers who may earn more through sponsorships. The winner of each tournament generally makes about 18 percent of the entire purse; however, making it within the top 10 or 20 still ensures a healthy payday.

Unfortunately, golfers aren’t compensated for playing in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cups. However, it’s a great way to represent your country and boost your player profile. 

Which Golf Tournaments Offer the Highest Prize Purses?

The most elite PGA players don’t participate in   every tournament of the year . They will pick and choose their battles, playing in the ones with winning purses of at least $1 million. The highest-paid tournaments are the four majors, including:

  • US Open: $15 million 
  • Masters: $18 million
  • Open Championship: $14 million
  • PGA Championship: $15 million

The tournament with the largest purse is the Players Championship, offering up to $25 million. There are ten PGA Tour tournaments with over $20 million, such as the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Wells Fargo Championship, BMW Championship, and others. 

Endorsement Deals

Pro golfers profit from branded endorsement deals by promoting specific products or services. They can range from marketing-related activities like making personal appearances, appearing in commercials, or wearing a brand’s logo on equipment or clothing. 

Some of the most common industries that pro golfers tend to endorse are: 

  • Athletic apparel
  • Golf equipment 
  • Auto manufacturers 
  • Financial companies 
  • Medical businesses
  • Technology firms 
  • Betting sites 

Tiger Woods is a prime example of making millions off endorsements. In 2021, he earned under $200,000 due to injuries. However, he made a lofty $62 million off the course from deals with Bridgestone, TaylorMade, Nike, and others.   Tiger Woods   is among the few players with billionaire earnings, along with other athletes like Michael Jordan and LeBron James. 

Appearances

Appearance fees are payments made to golfers required to appear at an event or tournament. They’re typically only awarded to popular players with the drawing power to generate media attention and large crowds for the event. For example, they may attend company outings, black-tie dinners, and golf outings. Players like Fred Couples and Jim Furyk have earned over $10,000 for attending a single event. 

Player Impact Program

The newest way to earn additional money is through the Player Impact Program (PIP). This program is where the PGA Tour pays golfers for their impact on social media and other platforms. PGA Tour accounts for many factors, including total internet searches, TV coverage, and social media following. The payout amounted to $40 million in 2021, which was distributed among the top 10 finishers. Number one was Tiger, who earned $8 million, and the tenth highest, Bubba Watson, still earned $3 million. 

Average PGA Tour Player Salaries

The average PGA Tour player’s salaries are about $1.5 million. 

While many PGA golfers may not make much money, the   highest-paid PGA Tour golfers   can earn more than some of the best-paid athletes in the world. For example, in 2022, Phil Mickelson earned $102 million on the course and $36 million off the course.

However, the player who finished 250th on the list salaries only made $6,090 for playing in nine tournaments. Even a two-time Masters winner, the great Jose Maria Olazabal earned only $28,635 from two PGA tournaments - but these figures don’t account for those players' endorsements and sponsorship deals. 

Only the top 85% of the players made above-the-average salaries - with 213 players earning above six figures and 124 players earning at least $1 million. So while the PGA Tour can be unforgiving to some players, even some less-celebrated professionals make good money with moderate success.

How Do PGA Tour Earnings Compare to LPGA Earnings?

Generally, PGA Tour earnings are much higher than LPGA Tour earnings. In many sports, the male sports leagues tend to pay better. 

For example, the PGA players competed for about $343 million in total official earnings in the 2018 to 2019 season and $71 million in bonus money. This bonus money included the FedEx Cup, Aon Risk Reward Challenge, and the Wyndham Rewards. 

Conversely, the LPGA only offered a total purse of $70.2 million with a $1.1 million bonus money, which included the Aon Risk Reward Challenge and the Leaders Top 10 competition. 

The top-earning LPGA Tour player, Jin Young Ko, only earned $7.2 million, a fraction of what Phil Mickelson had earned. Although prize earnings for LPGA golfers have increased in recent years, the gender pay gap remains quite large. 

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re still wondering how much PGA players make, we’ve compiled an FAQ section to help answer your questions. 

Do PGA Players Get Paid if They Miss the Cut?

PGA Players who miss the cut aren’t getting paid in regular Tour events. However, PGA players who miss the cut for major championships like the PGA Championship and Masters will still receive some compensation. For example, players who’ve missed the 36-hole cut for the 2022 PGA Championship still receive $4000. 

Final Thoughts

Professional golf can be a lucrative career, especially for those who are exceptional at the sport. With various ways to make money, there’s potential to earn tens of millions of dollars per year. 

Of course, those are the outliers. Even those who finish in the top 50, 100, and even 250 earn great money compared to the average citizen. That said, it can be a tough career for golfers that don't make the cut. 

If you’re a golf enthusiast looking to improve your style and game, shop Stitch Golf. With   a wide range of high-quality golf accessories   and   apparel , you can elevate your golfing experience.

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How Much Do Caddies Make on PGA Tour? (LPGA, Country Clubs)

How Much Do Caddies Make on Pga Tour

At some point, we’ve all heard someone refer to golf as a “rich man’s sport.” This is mostly due to the expenses associated with golf. One of these expenses is the fee paid to the caddie.

Caddies play a significant role in golf. They cater to the golfer’s needs and assist them.

Caddies are responsible for transporting the player’s golf equipment and keeping track of their score. Additionally, they keep the clubs and equipment clean.

Apart from that, they must be knowledgeable about the sport. Caddies are critical for all golfers since they offer invaluable help.

When you consider the amount of money these valuable caddies bring in, do you get excited? Prepare to discover the answer to the frequently asked question, “How much do golf caddies earn?”.

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How Much Do Caddies Make on PGA Tour?

Caddies on the PGA Tour earn far more than other caddies. In addition to their regular wage, they are entitled to a share of the golfer’s earnings.

Caddies for professional golfers often earn between 5 percent and 10 percent of the player’s income. Caddies on the PGA Tour earn a base salary of $1,500 to $3,000 every tournament, plus a percentage of the tournament’s earnings (provided the player is able to make the cut).

Read This: How Much Money Does A Teenage Golf Caddy Make?

Their income also may vary. Because PGA Tour players are self-employed, they can pay their caddies whatever they choose – there is no standard contract established by a CBA, a union, or anything else.

How Much Do Caddies Make on PGA Tour?

Professional golfers and their caddies sign individual contracts. The PGA Tour does not have any laws governing the money caddies are paid on the circuit.

Professional golfers are responsible for the caddies they hire. In the event of a disagreement, their agreement could be written or verbal.

According to many respected magazines, former PGA Tour caddy Alfred “Rabbit” Dyer claims that caddies can earn up to $2,000 per week, while caddies on the PGA Tour typically earn around $1,000 per week, according to many respected magazines. 

According to a 2007 article, Steve Williams, who was at the time caddying for Tiger Woods , an American professional golfer, was thought to have earned $1.2 million in 2006 as a result of his services.

Do PGA Players Pay for Their Own Travel?

Yes, the players pay for their travel and trip expenses, including airfare. The travel expenses of certain professional golfers’ caddies are also covered by their sponsors. It should be noted that if players do not make the 36-hole cut, they will not be eligible for any type of pay.

This does not affect the reality that some players fly on private jets and others drive in their own cars and that they are all responsible for covering their expenses.

When a high-profile player is brought in, the tournament may cover the costs of bringing him in, and sponsors may also contribute to the costs of the player’s journey.

Do Pga Players Pay for Their Own Travel?

A question arises if the players pay for their caddies’ expenses. No, they don’t. Caddies must arrange their own travel and lodging.

But this is why their first salary is so high. Professional caddies are well paid. This money is usually spent on travel and lodging.

According to Dennis Cone, the president of the Professional Caddies Association in 2007, they must cover their own travel expenses.

The “Morning Herald” noted that some caddies travel with their players on private planes and stay with them in rented houses, yet it is estimated that travel and housing costs accounted for 25 percent of an average caddy’s income.

Where Do PGA Players Stay During Tournaments?

In contrast to the average minor tour player, who rides to the next game and stays in a motel, prominent golfers fly and stay in expensive hotels or privately rented mansions. 

An amateur, professional golfer, in contrast to a golf pro, which a club compensates, is someone who makes a living out of the sport of golf. When it comes to professional golf, most players are constantly on the go, traveling from one tournament to another.

Typically, a number of locations are involved. Keep in mind that, for the most part, these men are also experienced travelers with a lot of travel under their belts.

As a general rule, several local hotels will have established arrangements with the tour and the host tournament in advance of the tournament. 

This information is rarely made public, although the vast majority of them are classified as “open secrets” because they are not disclosed to the public. For example, they may order room service, hire a private car and driver, or eat at the country club’s always-open buffet.

What’s the Percentage of Winnings for Golf Caddies?

The amount of compensation varies from a small to a big sum. Caddies are typically compensated in the amount of $1000 per week, with some caddies earning a bit more depending on the players’ rank and level of accomplishment.

A caddy will typically receive a percentage of no less than 5 of the player’s earnings for the week if the golfer makes it through to the next round. Normally, suppose a player finishes in the top 10.

In that case, the caddy receives approximately 7 percent of the total prize money, and if the player wins, the caddy receives approximately 10 percent of the total prize money. 

According to this scenario, if Brooks Koepka wins the US Open for $2.16 million, his caddy will be compensated with $216,000. The conclusion is that if Koepka wins three tournaments in a single year, his caddy might earn anywhere from $500K to $700K, depending on how great the tournament is in terms of quality.

On the other hand, Caddy’s wages are not always as high as this figure would imply. The caddies who work for the top 100 earners make a lot of money, while the rest of the caddies make very little money overall.

How Much Do Caddies Make on LPGA Tour?

According to organization, one of the world’s oldest women’s professional sports organizations, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, also known as the LPGA, was founded in 1950 and has since grown to become the backbone of professional women’s sports.

Also Read: How Much Does Tiger Woods Caddie Get Paid?

They have compensated in the same way as PGA tournament caddies: a base salary plus a portion of the golfer’s profits. It has been reported that LPGA caddies earn an average of $1200 per week on the golf course.

The only issue is that this money is being used to cover their travel and housing expenses, which is a concern.

How Much Do Caddies Make on LPGA Tour

If the golfer does not win the tournament, the caddy is not entitled to any additional money from the golfer. According to industry standards, the caddy of an LPGA player should receive 7-8 percent of the golfer’s profits on average.

However, it is not quite as significant when comparing this to caddies in the PGA tournament.

If an LPGA golfer wins $300,000, her caddy will receive between $21,000 and $24,000, depending on the amount of the prize. For this reason, winning is essential not only for the golfer but also for the caddy who hopes to gain some extra money from the game.

How Much Do Caddies Make at Country Clubs?

Caddies normally work by the loop at most country clubs. The loop is comprised of a total of 18 holes. Completing it will take approximately 4 hours.

Caddies are compensated in accordance with the rules of each country club where they work. 

Some country clubs may deduct a percentage of a caddy’s earnings, while others may choose not to intervene and allow it to retain its complete earnings.

The average pay for a caddy at a country club is roughly $125 for transporting a bag around a course. In order to maximize their earnings, these caddies strive to complete as many loops as they possibly can in a single day of work.

How Much Do Caddies Make at Country Clubs?

For an 18-hole round of golf or a “loop” at a private country club, the average caddy earns $20-$28 per hour, or $100-$140 each loop, which is usually a 5-hour shift. This often comprises a set cost paid by the club, plus the player’s tips on top of that fees.

This will vary depending on the club they work for as well as the number of players/bags they carry.

  • Fees from the country club:  They’ll pay the caddies $15-$45 for each loop, depending on how well they do.
  • Gratuities from the players:  Most of the time, they’ll only carry one or two bags, and each bag costs about $25.

When Do Golfers Get Paid After a Tournament?

The money earned from a tournament is usually given within a week after the competition’s ending date. It is not necessary to issue cheques or cash; instead, electronic financial transfers are used.

The early payment enables professionals who are struggling to make ends meet to go on to the next event in search of a more stable future wage.

There is a wide range of earnings depending on the tournament’s rating and the number of professional golfers who participate. The prestige of major tournaments like the PGA, Masters, US Open, and Open draws the best players in the world.

As a result, all golfers who make the cut after the second day will earn a share of the winning payout; therefore, as more players participate during the weekend, the less a share of the winning purse will be available to those who finish at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Competing on the PGA Tour requires a significant financial investment. Of course, when you see superstars like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson cash in week after week, you might not think of it in that light.

It’s about all of the guys who didn’t make the cut and the people who finish in the bottom 100 percent of the field. Some of these men do not make much money; in fact, it is comparable to working a difficult day job for some.

Do Caddies Get Paid If Player Misses Cut?

Yes, a caddy is compensated for their efforts in carrying the bag and calling a specific number of times.

Every player/caddy partnership is different, but if the golfer wins, the caddy receives around 10% of the total prize money awarded to the winner. The second percentage point is 5 percent, and then it’s all downhill from there.

Every caddy is compensated on a weekly basis, regardless of how far his golfer advances in the tournament.

The caddy must be compensated whether the golfer does not make it to the final round because he is responsible for all of their own expenses such as transport, flights, hotels, and food.

The pressure to earn enough money to pay day-to-day travel and living expenses is a significant difference between the lives of a successful major tour player and the lives of the average professional golfer.

How Much Caddies Actually Earn

Professional golfers are frequently spotted living it up. These are the golfers who have made a career by winning major events and earning major sponsorships.

However, there is a huge group of golfers attempting to break into the professional game who must begin as a club pro and work their way up via the mini-tours until they can earn a living playing full time on the tours.

As for working as a caddy, whether you’re a professional caddy for a top PGA Tour player or a part-time caddy at a local private country club, it’s a great job with plenty of rewards.

The salary is decent, especially for a college student looking to support their income. Plus, you’ll be working on some of the top golf courses in the world.

how much do lpga tour players make

Golficity

Ever Wonder How Much a PGA TOUR Pro Makes to Wear All Those Logos?

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Brace yourself, because there are some big numbers ahead…

But before we get into the dollars and cents, here’s a little background on where the data comes from:

Recently Golf.com spoke with a top sports agent , who spoke anonymously about the kind of money a PGA TOUR pro makes off of endorsement deals.  Specifically, the player profile outlined in the report is as follows:

“A Top 125 guy. A pro whose Tour card is a no-doubter; who nails down a win in the occasional year; and who can be counted on each season to make it to—and sometimes through—the Dell Technologies event in the FedEx Cup playoffs. His approximate 2017-18 season prize-money earnings was $2,000,000.”

So now that we have that laid out, let’s dig into what these guys make for being human billboards.

PGA TOUR Pro Hat Deal Value: $250,000–$500,000

No surprise that the front of the hat brings in the most bank, as that is always front-and-center in interviews, pictures, etc.

“The front of the hat is your No. 1 real estate. On the high end, this deal generally includes other inventory—bag, equipment—as well. If you’re a Top 30 player, you’re definitely making seven figures on this. For a Top 10 guy, you’re looking north of $3 million and getting close to eight figures for the most marketable players in the world. For this deal, a player will be obligated to, on average, commit to giving a company three to four appearance/promotional days per year.”

Phil Mickelson tips his hat after hitting his second shot on the 14th… Phil Mickelson tips his hat after hitting his second shot on the 14th hole during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 12, 2012 in Pebble… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

The hat really is the feature-piece for advertisers and it’s also the most consistent piece of apparel a golfer wears. Phil Mickelson’s famous KPMG hat even has its own Twitter account with over 141k followers!

Who’s your favorite Lefty? #LetsGoLefty pic.twitter.com/pOSZ90snHX — KPMG Mickelson (@MickelsonHat) October 15, 2018

PGA TOUR Pro Logo/Corporate Deal Value: $50,000–$100,000

Working our way down we have the shirt, which includes plenty of places for corporate logos, including the chest, sleeve, and collar.

“A player who keeps his card should have a minimum of three to five corporate partners. Maybe that’s a chest deal, a sleeve deal, and a collar deal—plus maybe two other name-and-likeness deals that don’t require a logo. A $100K logo deal usually includes two player obligations: a content-generation day—like a commercial shoot—and a day in a golf setting, like a pro-am or clinic. Generally, each name-and-likeness deal brings in $25K-plus, and requires two meet-and-greet appearances at PGA Tour locations. When you see guys with multiple logos on their chest, that’s a dead giveaway that their apparel deal isn’t paying much. The higher-end deals generally don’t allow additional logos unless they’ve been grandfathered in. Adidas and Under Armour usually allow one extra logo on the sleeve.”

Sergio Garcia pf Spain practices ahead of the Andalucia Valderrama… Sergio Garcia pf Spain practices ahead of the Andalucia Valderrama Masters at Real Club Valderrama on October 16, 2018 in Cadiz, Spain. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

The report noted that a player’s shoes may also be included in an overall apparel deal, or occasionally negotiated separately.

PGA TOUR Pro Club Deal Value: $100,000

It’s every golfer’s dream…lots, and lots of free golf clubs. But the deal doesn’t stop there. Top pros make some serious money for carrying all that coveted equipment.

“It used to be, you’d be a full-staff Titleist guy, with a Titleist hat, Titleist on your sleeve, a Titleist golf bag, the ball, the glove. For the normal Top 125 player, what’s happened over the years is the equipment dollars have gone down a bit, and the corporate and clothing dollars have come up. Now what you see more of is, say, a Titleist equipment guy—but he’s got a corporation on the front of his hat, and he wears Puma clothes and shoes. He combines equipment, clothing and corporate dollars.”

Adam Scott of Australia carries his Titleist bag to the 18th hole… Adam Scott of Australia carries his Titleist bag to the 18th hole green during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 20, 2016… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

PGA TOUR Pro Ball Deal Value: $50,000–$100,000

The ball you play matters, especially when playing at the highest level of the game. We can all remember the money Bubba Watson turned down when he left Volvik  so clearly money isn’t everything. That said, players still make big money to play top name golf balls.

“Typically dominated by Titleist. If you’re on Tour, you can expect to get a ball-shoe-glove deal from Titleist—unless you get a ball deal from someone like Callaway, TaylorMade or Srixon. Or Bridgestone, though they’re not as common because Bridgestone is way more selective.”

-At the Titleist golf ball factory, the Pro V 1X golf balls get a… At the Titleist golf ball factory, the Pro V 1X golf balls get a visual inspection at the end of the assembly line. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

PGA TOUR Pro Performance Bonus Values

When you play well, you’re in the spotlight a whole lot more, and if you’re wearing a sponsor’s logo, they’re going to enjoy all that extra exposure. So most of the contracts above also include performance bonus incentives including approximately $10k – $25k for keeping your Tour card, $25k to $100k for a PGA TOUR win, and another $100k for making it into the FedExCup final (Top 30).

Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot from the fourth tee during the… Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot from the fourth tee during the second round of the PGA Tour Championship on September 21 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, GA. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Final Balance Sheet

Although these are some seriously eye-popping numbers, like any business, there are always expenses to balance out the revenue, and PGA TOUR pros’ accounting is no different.

PGA TOUR pros have a lot of team members that attribute to their success, and all of them are on the payroll. These include, caddies, agents, trainers, coaches, accountants, etc. Additionally, all that travel to and from tournaments adds up, to the tune of $3,000 – $5,000 per week.

When it’s all said and done the average Tour player spends about half a million bucks on his team and other incidentals.

Here’s the final balance sheet according to the Golf.com report :

  • Average total Tour earnings: $2,000,000
  • Average total non-tournament earnings: $700,000
  • Average total outlay: $554,000
  • Average net profit (before taxes): $2,146,000

Source: Golf.com Cover Photo via Instagram

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How Much Do PGA Tour Pros Make? (2023 Data)

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The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) is one of the most prestigious golf organizations in the world. Its members compete in some of the most lucrative tournaments on the planet, and they earn millions of dollars in prize money each year. But how much do PGA players actually make?

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the salaries of PGA Tour players. We’ll explore the different ways that players earn money, and we’ll see how much the top earners make compared to the rest of the field. We’ll also discuss the factors that affect a player’s earnings, and we’ll provide some tips for aspiring PGA Tour players.

So, if you’re curious about how much PGA players make, read on!

How Do PGA Tour Players Make Money?

PGA Tour players earn money from a variety of sources, including:

  • Prize money: The PGA Tour offers a total of over \$400 million in prize money each year, with the winner of each event taking home a share of the purse. The top prize at the major championships is \$2.1 million, while the winner of the FedEx Cup receives \$15 million.
  • Sponsorships: PGA Tour players can earn money from endorsements with companies such as Nike, TaylorMade, and Titleist. These deals can be worth millions of dollars per year.
  • Appearance fees: PGA Tour players can also earn money by appearing at corporate events and golf tournaments. These appearance fees can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • Other income: PGA Tour players can also earn money from other sources, such as golf course design, teaching, and personal appearances.

How Much Do PGA Tour Players Make?

The average PGA Tour player earns around \$1.5 million per year. However, the top players can earn much more. For example, in 2022, the top 10 players on the PGA Tour earned a combined total of over \$100 million.

The following table shows the average earnings of PGA Tour players by year:

| Year | Average Earnings | |—|—| | 2022 | \$1.5 million | | 2021 | \$1.4 million | | 2020 | \$1.3 million | | 2019 | \$1.2 million | | 2018 | \$1.1 million |

How Do PGA Tour Players Compare to Other Athletes?

PGA Tour players are among the highest-paid athletes in the world. In 2022, the top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world earned a combined total of over \$1 billion. The top 10 highest-paid athletes earned a combined total of over \$500 million.

The following table shows the average earnings of PGA Tour players compared to other athletes:

| Sport | Average Earnings | |—|—| | PGA Tour | \$1.5 million | | NBA | \$7.4 million | | NFL | \$6.9 million | | MLB | \$6.5 million | | NHL | \$5.6 million |

The Future of PGA Tour Player Earnings

The future of PGA Tour player earnings is uncertain. There are a number of factors that could affect player earnings in the coming years, including:

  • The growth of prize money: The PGA Tour has been increasing prize money in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue. However, the rate of growth is likely to slow down as the tour reaches its financial limits.
  • The changing sponsorship landscape: The sponsorship landscape for PGA Tour players is changing rapidly. Traditional sponsors such as golf equipment companies are facing increasing competition from new sponsors such as cryptocurrency exchanges and sports betting companies.
  • Other trends: Other trends that could affect PGA Tour player earnings include the growth of golf in new markets, the impact of climate change on golf courses, and the increasing popularity of other sports.

It is difficult to predict exactly how these factors will affect PGA Tour player earnings in the coming years. However, it is clear that the future of player earnings is uncertain.

PGA Tour players earn money from a variety of sources, including prize money, sponsorships, appearance fees, and other income. The average PGA Tour player earns around \$1.5 million per year. The top players can earn much more, with the top 10 players on the PGA Tour earning a combined total of over \$100 million in 2022.

The future of PGA Tour player earnings is uncertain. There are a number of factors that could affect player earnings in the coming years, including the growth of prize money, the changing sponsorship landscape, and other trends.

How much do PGA Tour players make?

The average PGA Tour player makes just over $1 million per year, but the top earners can make much more. In 2022, the top 10 earners on the PGA Tour each made over $10 million.

What is the highest PGA Tour prize money?

The highest PGA Tour prize money is $2.7 million, which was awarded to Justin Thomas for winning the 2022 PGA Championship.

How much do PGA Tour rookie players make?

PGA Tour rookies earn a minimum of $150,000 per year. However, they can earn more if they make the cut in tournaments and finish high in the standings.

What are the most lucrative PGA Tour events?

The most lucrative PGA Tour events are the four major championships: the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. These events offer the largest prize purses, and the winners can earn millions of dollars.

How much do PGA Tour caddies make?

PGA Tour caddies typically earn between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. However, the top caddies can earn much more. In 2022, the highest-paid caddie on the PGA Tour was Jim “Bones” Mackay, who earned over $2 million.

How much do PGA Tour announcers make?

PGA Tour announcers typically earn between $50,000 and $100,000 per year. However, the top announcers can earn much more. In 2022, the highest-paid PGA Tour announcer was Jim Nantz, who earned over $6 million.

the average PGA Tour player makes just over $1 million per year. However, the top players can earn significantly more, with the highest-paid players taking home over $20 million per year. The amount a player earns depends on a number of factors, including their performance on the course, their endorsements, and their appearance fees.

While the PGA Tour is a lucrative career for some, it is important to remember that it is also a very competitive one. Only a small percentage of players make it to the PGA Tour, and even fewer are able to consistently earn a high salary. If you are considering a career in professional golf, it is important to be aware of the challenges and rewards involved.

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Kris kim, 16, becomes youngest player to make pga tour cut in nine years.

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McKINNEY, Texas — Kris Kim, a 16-year-old amateur playing on a sponsor exemption at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, became the youngest player in nine years to make the cut in a PGA Tour event.

Kim finished his second round Friday with a birdie for a 4-under 67.

At 7-under 135, he was among 66 players who made the cut, which was 6 under.

Kris Kim, 16, made the cut at the Byron Nelson on Friday.

“Just make the cut, to be honest,” Kim told reporters after the round. “I knew something around this number would be good enough, but to shoot that I’m pretty happy.” 

Jake Knapp was the leader at 14-under 128.

Kyle Suppa was 16 when he made the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2015.

“It feels pretty good,” Kim said. “I feel like I played well over the last two days. Stay pretty patient out there, and I guess it worked.” 

At 16 years, seven months old, Kim surpassed Jordan Spieth as the youngest player to make the cut at the Nelson.

“I’ve enjoyed it so much the last couple of days, and being here two more days makes it so much sweeter.” 

Kim finished Saturday’s third round tied for 46rd at 8-under after shooting a 1 under for the day with Knapp getting ready to tee off.

Kris Kim, 16, made the cut at the Byron Nelson on Friday.

Spieth was two months shy of his 17th birthday when made his first PGA Tour start at his hometown event in 2010, and finished tied for 16th.

Kim, who is the son of former LPGA Tour player and South Korea native Ji-Hyun Suh, is making his PGA Tour debut.

He is the first amateur sponsored by South Korean company CJ Group, which is the title sponsor of the Nelson for the first time.

— With AP

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The CJ Cup Byron Nelson

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Nelly Korda spotted in stunning dress at the 2024 MET Gala

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All eyes are on Nelly Korda this week as she aims for a record sixth win in a row at the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey. The World No. 1 ranked golfer was spotted alongside Hollywood stars, musicians and models on the red carpet at Monday’s Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Korda wore a gown from famous designer Oscar de la Renta to the exclusive event, attending as a guest of Casey Wasserman, her agency’s chairperson.

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Each year the Met Gala is held on the first Monday in May, raising funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Athletes have often been spotted at the famous event—over the years, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Simone Biles and others have attended. Though Korda is not the first golfer to go to the event— Tiger Woods was there in 2013 —as far as the LPGA Tour is aware, Korda is the first LPGA player to attend the Met Gala.

When Korda returns to New Jersey, she’ll continue preparing to play her first event in two weeks and will be trying to become the first LPGA player to win six tournaments in a row. If she were to do so, she’d surpass Annika Sorenstam’s and Nancy Lopez’s record of five in a row. After winning the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season and her record-tying fifth LPGA tournament in a row, Korda withdrew from the following week’s tournament in Los Angeles .

"It was not an easy decision," Korda said in a statement after the Chevron win. "After the unbelievable week at The Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted. With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season."

After the short time off, Korda appears rested and ready for not only the tournament ahead, but also the stardom that comes with being the most talked-about player in women’s golf.

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How Much Do Caddies Make? You Might Be Surprised

If you excel, PGA Tour caddies can rake in around $5,000 per tournament. Their base pay is $1,500-$3,000 weekly, but they earn between 5 to 10% of the prize money of their golfer. In general, you’ll make more if you work at more exclusive clubs and with better golfers. 

Amateur caddies earn an average of $17.71 per hour , with a range from $9 to $32 per hour , according to Zippia . But you can make $61K to $112K , according to Glassdoor .

I’ve hired caddies online from associations or in parking lots, so let me share what they typically earn.Anyone interested in getting paid to work as a golf caddy will want to understand the various salary ranges so you can plan your path to success.

How Much Are Caddies Paid at Country Clubs?

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A golf caddy at a country club makes more than most amateur caddies at around $30 per hour . However, it can go as high as $75 an hour, making for a lucrative professional caddie salary (albeit much less than PGA Tour caddies!)

This job is popular for junior golfers as a local golf course caddy. Nowadays, most public golf courses do not have a caddie program, but most country clubs do have caddie services.

However, it can be great for all ages and whoever wants to get their foot in the door in the caddying space.

Read also: Country Club Membership Cost

How Much Do Caddies Make on the PGA Tour?

how much do caddies make

PGA Tour caddies typically earn between $1,500 to $3,000 weekly , with their total income comprising base pay, a percentage cut of the golfer’s winnings, and bonuses. The exact amount a caddie earns varies as each negotiates their own deal with the golfer.

In terms of the percentage cut, it’s usually 10% of the winnings for a tournament win, 7% for a top-ten finish, and 5% for making the cut . For example, a caddie for a golfer who wins a $1 million prize would earn $100,000. Considering the average PGA Tour golfer makes about $1.5 million annually, a caddie could earn around $75,000 per year from this percentage cut alone, assuming a 5% share.

Based on these earnings and factoring in their weekly salary, t he average PGA Tour caddie can make about $5,000 per tournament . This calculation assumes participation in around 25 events yearly, combining the weekly base pay and the average prize money cut. Therefore, while the top caddies for leading golfers earn significantly more, even an average PGA Tour caddie earns a respectable income.

So now we know how much the average PGA Tour caddie makes, but what do the top pro caddies make?

As it stands, the highest-paid caddie in 2024 is likely Ted Scott. He caddies for Scottie Scheffler, who has accrued the most on-course earnings this year at $18.5 million. Of course, Scheffler has won many tournaments this year, but even taking the low-end figure across the board of 5% gives Scott $925,000 in prize money .

While Jordan Spieth’s caddy, Michael Greller, made $900,000 in 2015 after Jordan’s Master’s win and big season.

Read More: Who Is the Richest Golfer in the World?

922px-2008_LPGA_Championship_-_Natalie_Gulbis_with_her_caddie_(1)

LPGA caddies make a weekly base salary of around $1,200 , a little less than the typical caddie for the PGA Tour. Yet it’s the percentage cut where they miss out on income compared to PGA caddies. You see, the prize pool for LPGA events is much less.

The average winner’s share for a professional golfer on the LPGA Tour is around $300,000, much less than the average men’s winnings, which are around $2 million. A typical LPGA caddie could easily double their salary if their golfer is one of the most successful players on the tour. 

But given the smaller prize pool, LPGA caddies rely more heavily on their base salary. But it is sometimes not enough as they have to cover expenses such as travel and stay.

Read More: How Do Golfers Get Paid?  

Jack_Nicklaus_and_caddie_Angelo_Argea_during_the_1980_Memorial_Tournament_-_DPLA_-_restored (1)

Every PGA and LPGA Tour pro has their preferences for caddies, and they will choose one with that criteria. First, professional golfers often look for those dedicated to caddying well. They will look for an experienced and knowledgeable caddie. 

Joe LaCava , for example, is a longtime caddie, having worked for 67 years. Jimmy Johnson is another respected caddie who has worked for 26 years since 1996. If a caddie doesn’t have the years behind them, having experience with other PGA or LPGA Tour pros may float them to the top of the list. 

Sometimes, it has more to do with knowing golfers well than caddying skills. Rory McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, is the best friend of McIlroy. In another example, Phil Mickelson’s caddie, Tim Mickelson, is his younger brother. 

Other professional golfers choose a caddie based on nonsensical reasons. For instance, Seve Ballesteros chooses his caddies for being British — weird, we know!

If you want to know how to get a job as a caddie for a pro, you may want to dedicate yourself to the art and pick some promising amateurs. Many caddies who work for the pros built a strong relationship with them before they went pro. 

Caddies_posing_at_the_Brisbane_Golf_Club_Championship_Tournament_at_Yeerongpilly_Links_1910_(13749920344)

You don’t need special education to caddie in golf. An estimated 79.1% of caddies earned their bachelor’s degree, and 4.2% of golf caddies earned a master’s degree. While it’s true many may have a bachelor’s degree, plenty are educated to a GED level.  There are no education requirements for the profession.

Caddies must simply immerse themselves in all aspects of golf to learn the trade. They need to make connections with people at the country clubs. Most caddies can expect seasonal work. 

The Professional Caddies Association (PCA) offers training and apprenticeship programs for those interested. You learn the basics of the trade at your own pace. How long it takes to learn depends on you. Once you learn the basics, you must continually hone your skills. Many dedicated caddies spend a lifetime doing this. 

Read More: Ever wondered Why There Are 18 holes in Golf?  

Great caddies must take responsibility for several things on the golf course, including:

  • Cleaning clubs and equipment
  • Understanding the golf course
  • Handing clubs to the golfer
  • Knowing the distance to the green
  • Raking sand traps and bunkers
  • Tracking the ball and its distance
  • Advising about the club needed
  • Removing the pin from the golf hole and placing it back in 

An excellent caddie will understand all the duties highlighted above. But the best caddies understand that their responsibilities go above and beyond the limited tasks we have outlined thus far. 

As a caddie, you must do everything you can to help your golfer perform. This can even be in keeping them calm — we all know having a level head improves the standard of play. 

Besides assisting with performance, caddies must also stay professional at all times. They must know where to stand to remain out of the way and silent as the golfer takes his shot. Even something as easy to overlook as your shadow needs considering — don’t let it block the putting line. 

You may also need to wear a uniform. Most golf clubs require appropriate clothing, such as dress slacks and a golf shirt, at the least. 

How much do caddies make?  Well, it’s a broad question and depends completely on who you are caddying for. The lowest-paying caddies work at country clubs. These caddies make anywhere from $30-$75 per hour. Caddies for the LPGA Tour make considerably more. Often around $1,200 per week as a base salary, and 5%, 7%, or 10% of the winnings depending on where their golfer finishes.

Yet it’s caddies on the PGA Tour who make the big bucks. Their base weekly pay is $1,500 to $3,000. They too earn the same cut of prize money as the LPGA Tour caddies, however, as the prize pool is much bigger on the PGA Tour, they earn far more. As a low average, PGA Tour caddies earn around $75,000 from prize money per year.

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Frequently Asked Questions

It is an industry-standard for caddies to cut the winnings. This usually follows the proportion of 10% for a win, 7% for a top-ten finish, and 5% for other placements.

Like the LPGA, PGA Tour golfers give their caddies a weekly pay of around $2,000 in most cases. The pay can fluctuate because there is no rule for caddy pay. Some might be more, and some are less.

Jimmy Johnson is the highest-paid caddie on the PGA Tour, earning around $502,851 annually. His base salary started at $120,000 per year, but he had an overall payout of $502,851.

Tiger Woods’s caddie, Joe LaCava, started caddying for Woods in 2011, earning around 10% of Woods’s earnings on top of a base salary. How much he earns may vary, and no one knows how much, but LaCava has an estimated net worth of $1 to $2 million, which should give you an idea. 

Because a caddie must cover his expenses like travel, food, car, and hotel, caddies still earn a wage if the player misses the cut. Along with a base salary, they earn 10 percent on top of the base salary from the player's winnings if he wins.  

Caddies fall under the self-employed classification, and as an independent contractor, they must pay for their own expenses like travel, car, hotel, and food. This marks out most circumstances, but PGA Tour Pros will pay the expenses of their caddies. However, this isn’t common. 

LPGA Tour caddies earn $1,5000 to $3,000 per week as a base salary, just like those on the PGA Tour. However, as the event prize pool is much smaller, their cut is worth much less. For an average win, a caddy will earn around $30,000.

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Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.

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how much do lpga tour players make

2024 LIV Golf Singapore Final Payouts, Prize Money, Winnings

LIV Golf is offering another $25 million puse in Singapore, with $4 million to the individual winner. Here's the full breakdown.

  • Author: Jeff Ritter

LIV Golf is in action for the second straight week, as the tour jumped from Adelaide, Australia, to Singapore and its lush Sentosa Golf Club. LIV is once again offering a $25 million total purse, with $4 million to the individual winner and $5 million set aside for the team event.

This was LIV's final event before the PGA Championship, and Brooks Koepka will take momentum from Singapore into his PGA defense after winning for the first time this season and fourth time overall in LIV Golf. He shot a final-round 68 at Sentosa to hold off Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman by two shots.

Smith and Leishman led their Ripper GC team to the $3 million team title, winning by three shots over Fireballs GC and Cleeks GC, who tied for second and each take home $1 million.

Here's the full breakdown of payouts for the 2024 LIV Golf Singapore event.

2024 LIV Golf Final Payouts

WIN. Brooks Koepka, 15 under: $4,000,000

T2. Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman; 13 under: $1, 875,000

4. Talor Gooch, 12 under: $1 million

T5. Tyrrell Hatton, Thomas Pieters; 11 under: $750,000

T7. Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann, Kevin Na; 10 under: $522,500

T10. Jon Rahm, Eugenio Chacarra, Abraham Ancer, Adrian Meronk; 9 under: $371,250

T14. Kalle Samooja, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Dean Burmester, Cameron Tringale; 8 under: $287,000

T19. Carlos Ortiz, Martin Kaymer, Sebastian Munoz; 7 under: $240,000

T22. Phil Mickelson, Peter Uihlein, Richard Bland, Louis Oosthuizen, Kieran Vincent; 6 under: $203,000

T27. David Puig, Bryson DeChambeau, Lucas Herbert; 5 under: $180,000

T30. Anirban Lahiri, Matthew Wolff; 4 under: $167,500

T32. Branden Grace, Paul Casey, Harold Varner III; 3 under: $155,000

T35. Charl Schwartzel, Ian Poulter; 2 under: $146,250

T37. Matt Jones, Graeme McDowell, Scott Vincent; 1 under: $140,000

T40. Brendan Steele, Charles Howell III, Caleb Surratt, Jason Kokrak; Even: $131,250

44. Henrik Stenson, 1 over: $127,500

T45. Andy Ogletree, Bubba Watson; 2 over: $125,000

T47. Sam Horsfield, Mito Pereira; 3 over: $121,500

T49. Danny Lee, Hudson Swafford, Lee Westwood; 4 over: $60,000

T52. Pat Perez, Anthony Kim; 6 over: $50,000

T54. Jinichiro Kozuma, 8 over: $50,000

2024 LIV Golf Team Event Prize Money:

WIN. Ripper GC (Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Lucas Herbert), 32 under: $3 million

T2. Fireballs GC (Sergio Garcia, Eugenio Chacarra, Abraham Ancer, David Puig, Cleeks GC (Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland, Kalle Samooja, Adrian Meronk); 29 under: $1 million

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2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player

It pays to play well on the PGA Tour. Just ask  this week’s winner, Taylor Pendrith .

The 32-year-old won the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on Sunday after a late birdie on the 72nd hole to secure his first-ever win on the PGA Tour in his 74th start.

For his efforts, Pendrith will take home the top prize of $1.71 million, while Kohles, who was in the lead before a bogey on the par-5 18th, will bank $1.03 million as a consolation prize.

With $9 million up for grabs, check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson near Dallas.

Prize money payouts

2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Troy Merritt's caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third round of…

Troy Merritt's caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch on May 04, 2024 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images for The CJ Cup)

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Ben Kohles' caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third round of…

Ben Kohles' caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch on May 04, 2024 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images for The CJ Cup)

Caddies wear green bibs in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month during the third round of…

Caddies wear green bibs in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch on May 04, 2024 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

Min Woo Lee's caddie bib for Mental Health Awareness month. (Photo: PGA Tour)

Taiga Semikawa of Japan's caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third…

Taiga Semikawa of Japan's caddie wears a mental health awareness month caddie bib during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch on May 04, 2024 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images for The CJ Cup)

Ben Kohles of the United States with his caddie wearing a green bib for Mental Health…

Ben Kohles of the United States with his caddie wearing a green bib for Mental Health Awareness Month on the 18th green during the third round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch on May 04, 2024 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Mark Hubbard's caddie has fun with his caddie bib, spelling out Jake Knapp's name. (Photo: PGA…

Mark Hubbard's caddie has fun with his caddie bib, spelling out Jake Knapp's name. (Photo: PGA Tour)

Story originally appeared on GolfWeek

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Do Golfers Get Paid For Missing The Cut?

The basic answer to this question is pretty straightforward but with one or two variations along the way, as we explain...

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Do Golfers Get Paid For Missing The Cut?

The Covid effect

Earnings assurance programmes.

Jeremy Ellwood

The simple answer to this question on most professional golf tours, including the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, is no, they don’t. There are some variations and potentially more ‘no cut’ events to come , but the top 65 and ties in most regular PGA Tour and DP World Tour events make it through to the final two rounds and get paid; the rest earn nothing. 

While potentially flying halfway round the world with caddie and hotel costs, then failing to earn a penny thus making a loss , may sound a little harsh to some, it's the way it has been for many, many years now.

Player misses the cut

The harsh reality of another missed cut and no earnings for the week

It helps to streamline the field for the weekend play, so only those with any realistic chance of challenging for the title continue to play the second half of the tournament. And, continuing on that theme of harshness (or perhaps, reality), it also creates a kind of ‘survival of the fittest’ scenario.

If only the best players get paid, those who don’t quite make the grade simply can’t afford to do it for too long as they will run out of money and be forced into pursuing other lines of employment, or dropping back down to lesser tours and trying to work their way back up again. But even there, they won't get paid if they fail to make the cut.

However, there are one or two other elements to factor in to our headline question...

The number of players who make the cut in the Majors varies a little from the standard 65. It’s top 50 at The Masters, top 70 at the PGA Championship and The Open and top 60 at The US Open. Of more concern to us in this article, though, is that the Majors do make an exception and pay even those who miss the cut. This is perhaps to reward them in some small way just for qualifying for one of golf’s four biggest events.

Tiger Woods misses cut at St Andrews

Tiger Woods missed the cut in the 2015 Open at St Andrews but still made €4,151.10

At the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill , all players who missed the cut still earned $4,000 (the player who finished last of those who made the cut earned $25,000). At the 2023 Masters, those who missed the cut walked away with $10,000; at the 2022 Open Championship it was staggered in three different amounts from €10,476.35 down to €6,984.24; and at the 2022 US Open it was $10,000.

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As a special one-off during 2021 – the second year affected by Covid – the DP World Tour did pay those who missed the cut for the whole year. The amount varied a little but was around €1,000 to assist with some of the extra costs and logistics (such as testing) that players experienced during that pandemic year. That ceased after the Joburg Open in November 2021.

It’s possible the programmes detailed below are a direct or indirect response to LIV Golf ’s arrival, but for the first time, exempt players on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour are guaranteed a certain level of income in 2023.

Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley

Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley - the heads of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour - announced big changes for 2023

For the 2022/23 season, The PGA Tour introduced an earnings assurance programme, which guarantees players in the ‘Korn Ferry Tour priority’ category and above at least $500,000, with the Tour making up any gap in earnings at the end of the season.

There is the option of upfront payments for rookies and others earning their way onto the PGA Tour, and if they don’t make that $500,000 threshold, they don’t have to return the money. Another new initiative offers non-exempt members (in the 126-150 category and below) $5,000 for every missed cut to assist with travel costs.

The DP World Tour has followed suit, with chief executive, Keith Pelley , announcing a new ‘Earnings Assurance Programme’ in November 2022 for the 2023 season. This guarantees a minimum $150,000 to those who compete in 15 or more events on the DP World Tour. If their ‘made cut’ earnings fall short of that figure, the tour will top it up, offering guaranteed money for the first time.

"I have always believed that it is an incredible accomplishment for any professional golfer to simply gain their playing rights," Pelley said. "This new initiative recognises and rewards that achievement. Although we will never lose the magic of the meritocracy and purity of a performance-based structure, this now offers certainty of income to those players who have made it to the pinnacle of the professional game in Europe." 

The principle of ‘missed cut = no money’ remains, but things are changing.

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly . He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf

Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

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Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3-PW: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Ping Fetch 2021 model, 33in shaft (set flat 2)

Ball: Varies but mostly now TaylorMade Tour Response

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Market Realist

PGA Caddies' Salaries Revealed — How Much Do They Really Make?

PGA caddies get a weekly salary, but that's not all — they also get a cut of their golfer's winnings. So, how much do caddies really make on tour?

Apr. 6 2022, Published 1:10 p.m. ET

The PGA is the organizer of the main professional golf tournaments played by men in the U.S. While the pro golfers are the stars of the sport, their caddies sometimes steal the spotlight.

Tiger Woods ' caddie Joe LaCava has been with the pro since 2011, and before that, his caddie Steve Williams was a household name for die-hard fans of the sport.

So, how much do these assistants on the green really make?

How much do PGA caddies make? Depends on how good their golfer is.

Tiger Woods with former caddie Steve Williams.

Caddies do more than just carry a golfer's equipment around. They're also responsible for giving professionals the distances to the hole, raking bunkers, and replacing divots – anything to ensure the golfer just has to worry about putting the ball in the hole.

According to Top Rank Golf, caddies make a base salary of $1,500–$3,000 per tournament. Along with a salary, caddies also make a percentage of winnings — 10 percent for a win, 7 percent for a top-10 finish, and 5 percent for anything else.

To put that in perspective, Justin Thomas' caddie Jimmy Johnson made an estimated $270,000 in 2021, while Phil Mickelson's caddie, Tim, who happens to also be his brother, made a reported $216,000.

"Every caddie gets a weekly paycheck, no matter where his player finishes," former caddie and ESPN analyst Michael Collins told Insider . "If the player misses the cut, the caddie still has to get a paycheck because the caddie pays for all of his own expenses — airfare, hotel, car, food, all of it."

Hoping for a ton of these this week. pic.twitter.com/ztglLUO1e4 — Tim Mickelson (@goodwalkspoiled) July 13, 2021

He continued, "No caddie and player has the same deal. Everyone negotiates themselves."

This means that the better their golfer is, the more the caddie makes.

The highest-earning caddie of 2021 made over $500,000.

Justin Thomas and his caddie Jimmy Johnson.

Based on the performances of pro golfers, these were the richest caddies of 2021 (via Sporting Free ):

Most of the caddies listed made a base salary of $120,000.

Overall, in the history of the sport, Tiger Woods' caddie Steve Williams is one of the wealthiest, with a net worth estimated at $20 million, earning $1.27 million in 2006 alone.

He was fired by Woods in 2011 after he caddied for his friend and golfer Adam Scott. "I didn’t think that we’d have no communication for the rest of our life," Williams said in the HBO documentary Tiger . “That just didn’t even enter my mind."

Mike "Fluff" Cowan recounted his first paid gig as a caddie, earning $20 a day and 3 percent of earnings. Today, Cowan is Jim Furyk's caddie and is worth $1.5 million.

Long story short, caddies have definitely come a long way in the sport.

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Kris Kim, 16, becomes youngest player to make cut on TOUR since 2015 at THE CJ CUP

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McKINNEY, Texas — Kris Kim brought one modestly outrageous (or outrageously modest) goal to his PGA TOUR debut: to play the weekend.

The 16-year-old English amateur accomplished it with a stroke to spare. He shot a 4-under 67 in the second round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson to finish at 7-under at a soft and windless TPC Craig Ranch. Playing in the last group, Kim holed a short birdie putt Friday on the par-5 18 th as dusk approached on a pleasant early evening near Dallas.

“I'm happy,” Kim said. “I can't wait to get started again tomorrow.”

Kris Kim's quality second leads to birdie at THE CJ CUP

Kim became the youngest player to make the cut on TOUR since Kyle Suppa, also 16, did so at the 2015 Sony Open. Kim was steadfast and sure — six birdies, two bogeys and no precarious situations that might disrupt his plans to play more golf. His best stat: Kim ranks seventh in Strokes Gained: Around the Green. It was a pretty good one for a wispy young man on the big stage for the first time.

Kim said he never considered swinging for the green in two on the 552-yard finisher. He laid up to wedge distance and plopped his third to 5 feet, 10 inches.

What’s in Kris Kim’s bag?

Kim said he knew he was near the cut. The goal was right there in front of him. He steadied himself over the putt and in it went.

Text messages needed to be answered. Lots of them. Kim was hungry, as teen-aged boys can be. Sleep beckoned, as it does. Saturday would come soon enough.

"I've enjoyed it so much the last couple days,” he said, "and being here two more days makes it so much sweeter.”

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Lpga: the numbers behind nelly korda's five-win streak are truly spectacular, share this article.

how much do lpga tour players make

When Nelly Korda tees it up at this week’s Cognizant Founders Cup in Clifton, New Jersey, at Upper Montclair Country Club, she seeks to accomplish something that’s never been done on the LPGA – win a sixth consecutive start.

Only two other players have won five consecutive starts on the LPGA : Nancy Lopez in her magical rookie season of 1978 and Annika Sörenstam, spanning from the end of the 2004 season to the first three events of 2005.

In their sixth starts, Sorenstam tied for 12th at the Michelob Open at Kingsmill in 2005, while Lopez took a share of 13th at the Lady Keystone Open.

After her victory at the season’s first major, the Chevron Championship, Korda became the first American to win five tournaments in one year since Juli Inkster in 1999.

When it comes to world rankings, Korda leads the tour by a country mile. Her 12.30 points average in the Rolex Rankings is nearly double that of No. 2 Lilia Vu’s average of 6.54.

In the Race to CME Globe Season standings, Korda’s 2,702 points total is more than double that of second place Lydia Ko at 1,142. Korda, by the way, took off the entire spring Asian swing during a seven-week break from the tour.

The Big Pickle podcast : Beth Ann Nichols, Grant Boone on Nelly’s hot streak

There are so many ways to measure Korda’s dominance. Here are a few more:

The overall record

2024 Chevron Championship

Nelly Korda celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2024 Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Korda’s record in six LPGA starts this season is a staggering 507-20-1 in stroke-play events. (She also went 3-0 in the match-play portion of the T-Mobile event at Shadow Creek in Vegas. )

Korda lost to 15 players at the season-opening Tournament of Champions and finished sixth in the stroke-play portion of T-Mobile after 54 holes. The top eight players advanced to match play.

Strokes gained brilliance

2024 T-Mobile Match Play

Nelly Korda holds up four fingers for her fourth win in a row after winning the 2024 T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Since starting her streak at the LPGA Drive On, Korda has gained a whopping 3.60 strokes per round on the competition, according to KPMG Performance Insights. That does not include her three match-play victories in Las Vegas.

For the season, she leads the tour in strokes gained around the greens and greens in regulation, hitting 76 percent.

Room for improvement

how much do lpga tour players make

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MARCH 31: Nelly Korda of the United States poses with the trophy after the final round of the Ford Championship presented by KCC at Seville Golf and Country Club on March 31, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

KPMG stats guru Justin Ray broke down Korda’s work on the greens, which by all accounts has been stronger this season. Even so, Ray says she has one of the lowest putt-make percentages from 5 to 10 feet on tour. She also ranks 102nd on tour in one-putts per round.

“Her ball-striking prowess is such that she easily overcomes a miscue or two per round on the greens,” Ray wrote for LPGA.com.

Scoring average

how much do lpga tour players make

Nelly Korda of the United States and World Golf Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak imitate a “selfie” with the trophy following Korda’s win in the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship at Palos Verdes Golf Club on March 24, 2024 in Palos Verdes Estates, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Korda’s scoring average during the streak is 68.74, and that includes some brutal weather on the West Coast and major championship conditions. She’s 46 under par on the par 5s alone, dating back to the Drive On.

For the season, Korda leads the tour in par-5 scoring (4.43), par-4 scoring (3.93) and ranks 74th in par-3 scoring (3.09).

So far this season, 16 of her 26 rounds have been in the 60s, a 62 percent clip.

Youngest to ...

2024 LPGA Drive On Championship

Nelly Korda pretends to take a selfie with the championship trophy after a victory on the second play-off hole during the final round of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Bradenton Country Club on January 28, 2024 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The LPGA is now a young person’s tour, there’s no question about it. And at age 25, Korda became the youngest American player to win two major titles since Juli Inkster managed the feat at age 24 in 1984. Amy Alcott won two majors by age 24 in 1980.

There’s much to look forward to.

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  2. 2024 LPGA Tour Schedule Dates, Locations, Purses, Winners

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  3. How Much Does The Average LPGA Tour Pro Make?

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  5. Golfers with the Most Career Wins on the LPGA Tour

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  6. The LPGA is back! Here are 5 player storylines to follow

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COMMENTS

  1. Official Money

    **LPGA Statistics includes verified data from 1980 to present** Rank Name Official Money Events Played; 1 : Nelly Korda $2,424,216 : 6 : 2

  2. How Much Does The Average LPGA Tour Pro Make?

    The average LPGA Tour Pro earned $141,428 in 2021. Exactly half of the players on the money list earned above that figure, with Australian Katherine Kirk the last in that top group, earning $143.655. At the top end of the list, earnings were far higher, with each of the top 15 players earning seven figures and South Korean Jin Young Ko at the ...

  3. Money: The real truth behind PGA Tour, LPGA tournament paychecks

    The LPGA's total purse this season: $70.2 million. Add in $1.1 million for the Leaders Top 10 competition and Aon Risk Reward Challenge. Even an opposite-field event on the PGA Tour, the Barbasol Championship ($3.5 million), held the same week as the Open Championship ($10.75 million), and had a bigger purse than the LPGA's first major, the ...

  4. How Do Golfers Get Paid? See How Much the Pros Make Golflink.com

    The tournament then pays each individual player by the order in which they finished. The average PGA Tour purse for 2022 is $9.1 million. The Player's Championship offers the largest payout on tour with a total purse of $20 million. Cameron Smith's win in 2022 earned him a staggering $3.6 million for that event alone.

  5. Two LPGA golfers land on Forbes highest-paid female athletes list

    Forbes has released its latest highest-paid athletes list that is centered on female athletes. According to Forbes, the top 10 women on the list combined to earn $167 million in 2021, which is up 23 percent from 2020.. Five of the top 10 are tennis players, and Naomi Osaka leads the way with $57.3 million in 2020 earnings, up from the $37.4 million she made in 2020.

  6. How Much Do LPGA Tour Caddies Earn?

    Tour caddies make the bulk of their money from their percentage of the prize money. The 2024 LPGA season offers over $116 million in prize money with 10 regular tournaments offering at least $3 million and the five Majors having purses of between $5.25m and $11m. The winner of the U.S. Women's Open gets $2million.

  7. How Much Do LPGA Players Make? Exploring the Earnings of the World's

    Prize money is distributed based on each player's performance in a given tournament, with the winner taking home the largest share. For example, in 2021, the U.S. Women's Open had the highest purse on the LPGA Tour, at $5.5 million. The winner, Yuka Saso, received $1 million, while the runner-up took home $594,000.

  8. LPGA: Despite increased purses, it's hard to make a living

    For those players who have conditional status on the LPGA and fall between No. 101 and 150 on the money list, it's becoming increasingly harder to make a living. As major championship purses soar and more players than ever (currently 22) are enjoying seven-figure seasons on the LPGA, the majority of week-to-week purses on the biggest tour in ...

  9. Making Moves: Hannah Green Cracks the Top 10

    LPGA Tour Players Throw First Pitches at MLB Games. 01 May 2024. Making Moves: Hannah Green Cracks the Top 10 ... and made over $5.3 million in career earnings since becoming an LPGA Tour member ...

  10. Do PGA Tour Players Earn A Salary?

    A New Deal. For the 2022/23 season, all exempt players on the PGA Tour are guaranteed $500,000 against earnings. But it's not a salary. It's a base level. Exempt PGA Tour players will receive $500,000 (rookies can claim it up front) and they only start to collect prize money when they earn more than that $500,000 base.

  11. How do LPGA players make an income when they're not making ...

    From there, we look at the LPGA Tour (9:44 mark), where players' financial situations are more precarious. While top players can make a good living, as you move down the money list, things get less comfortable. We talk to LPGA Tour players and other in the industry about the financial realities of being a female Tour player.

  12. How Much Do Women Golfers Make? LPGA Income

    The top ten players have an average of $1,320,900 having played in a minimum of 20 tournaments. The professional players and top-earners also benefit from sponsorship contracts and lucrative merchandising. More opportunities for the players depend on how LPGA adds new tour events every year, which comes with an increase in the prize money.

  13. 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson Final Payouts, Prize Money, Winnings

    Here are the final payouts for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson: 2024 Byron Nelson Final Payouts. WIN. Taylor Pendrith, 23 under: $1.71 million. 2. Ben Kohles, 22 under: $1.035 million

  14. How Much Does a Professional Golfer Pay to Play in a Tournament?

    Members of the Golden State Tour, a smaller California series, pay a $250 entry fee for 18-hole tournaments, $450 for 36 holes and $650 for 54-hole events. Nonmembers pay $280, $500 and $750, respectively, for each level. Membership costs $400 if paid by the early deadline, or $500 afterward. Except at the highest levels, professional golfers ...

  15. A few thoughts on what it takes to make it on the LPGA Tour

    Using the stat categories on the LPGA Tour, and looking at the person at spot 100 for each of these categories, will give junior girls good insight to making it on tour. Let's start with how much money is earned by the 100th ranked player (Brianna Do, pictured in the featured image) for the 2018 season. You may think earning $113,220 is a ...

  16. Former LPGA pro shares detailed breakdown of expenses for a ...

    Included in Gregg's takeaways was that her annual expenses cost on average $50k and that the WAPT (Women's All Pro Tour) is the highest paying development tour, with the average winner of high-paying events earning $5-7k for a victory. With expenses for a cheap tournament generally coming in at $1.5-2k, players need to average finishing in ...

  17. How Much Do PGA Players Make?

    The average PGA Tour player's salaries are about $1.5 million. While many PGA golfers may not make much money, the highest-paid PGA Tour golfers can earn more than some of the best-paid athletes in the world. For example, in 2022, Phil Mickelson earned $102 million on the course and $36 million off the course.

  18. How Much Do Caddies Make on PGA Tour? (LPGA, Country Clubs)

    According to industry standards, the caddy of an LPGA player should receive 7-8 percent of the golfer's profits on average. However, it is not quite as significant when comparing this to caddies in the PGA tournament. If an LPGA golfer wins $300,000, her caddy will receive between $21,000 and $24,000, depending on the amount of the prize.

  19. Ever Wonder How Much a PGA TOUR Pro Makes to Wear All Those ...

    A $100K logo deal usually includes two player obligations: a content-generation day—like a commercial shoot—and a day in a golf setting, like a pro-am or clinic. Generally, each name-and-likeness deal brings in $25K-plus, and requires two meet-and-greet appearances at PGA Tour locations. When you see guys with multiple logos on their chest ...

  20. How Much Do PGA Tour Pros Make? (2023 Data)

    PGA Tour announcers typically earn between $50,000 and $100,000 per year. However, the top announcers can earn much more. In 2022, the highest-paid PGA Tour announcer was Jim Nantz, who earned over $6 million. the average PGA Tour player makes just over $1 million per year. However, the top players can earn significantly more, with the highest ...

  21. How Much Does LPGA Pay in 2024? (53 Salaries)

    101 Reviews. Compare. NBA. 3.9. 653 Reviews. Compare. A free inside look at LPGA salary trends based on 53 salaries wages for 43 jobs at LPGA. Salaries posted anonymously by LPGA employees.

  22. Kris Kim, 16, becomes youngest player to make PGA Tour cut in nine years

    Kris Kim, a 16-year-old amateur playing on a sponsor exemption at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, became the youngest player in nine years to make the cut in a PGA Tour event.

  23. Nelly Korda spotted in stunning dress at the 2024 MET Gala

    Though Korda is not the first golfer to go to the event—Tiger Woods was there in 2013—as far as the LPGA Tour is aware, Korda is the first LPGA player to attend the Met Gala.

  24. How Much Do Caddies Make? You Might Be Surprised

    PGA Tour caddies typically earn between $1,500 to $3,000 weekly, with their total income comprising base pay, a percentage cut of the golfer's winnings, and bonuses. The exact amount a caddie earns varies as each negotiates their own deal with the golfer. In terms of the percentage cut, it's usually 10% of the winnings for a tournament win ...

  25. 2024 LIV Golf Singapore Final Payouts, Prize Money, Winnings

    LIV Golf is in action for the second straight week, as the tour jumped from Adelaide, Australia, to Singapore and its lush Sentosa Golf Club. LIV is once again offering a $25 million total purse ...

  26. 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player

    It pays to play well on the PGA Tour. Just ask this week's winner, Taylor Pendrith. The 32-year-old won the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on Sunday after a late ...

  27. Do Golfers Get Paid For Missing The Cut?

    There is the option of upfront payments for rookies and others earning their way onto the PGA Tour, and if they don't make that $500,000 threshold, they don't have to return the money. Another new initiative offers non-exempt members (in the 126-150 category and below) $5,000 for every missed cut to assist with travel costs.

  28. How Much Do PGA Caddies Really Make? Plus, Richest Caddies 2022

    According to Top Rank Golf, caddies make a base salary of $1,500-$3,000 per tournament. Along with a salary, caddies also make a percentage of winnings — 10 percent for a win, 7 percent for a ...

  29. Kris Kim, 16, becomes youngest player to make cut on TOUR since 2015 at

    Kim became the youngest player to make the cut on TOUR since Kyle Suppa, also 16, did so at the 2015 Sony Open. Kim was steadfast and sure — six birdies, two bogeys and no precarious situations ...

  30. Nelly Korda's LPGA dominance by the numbers

    The LPGA is now a young person's tour, there's no question about it. And at age 25, Korda became the youngest American player to win two major titles since Juli Inkster managed the feat at age 24 in 1984. Amy Alcott won two majors by age 24 in 1980. There's much to look forward to.