Prize purses on the LPGA Tour are on the rise, and while the average tour player may still find it challenging to break even on a weekly basis, and there’s still work to be done for further parity in the game, the big events now offer substantial opportunities for serious earnings.
At the 2023 US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, players competed for a remarkable prize purse of $11 million, doubling in two years. Allisen Corpuz secured the record-breaking $2 million winner’s payout, and Amy Yang took home the same amount after winning the season-ending CME-sponsored Tour Championship.
Back in 2006, when Annika Sorenstam won her third US Women’s Open title, her winner’s share from a $3.1 million prize purse was $560,000, and with that win Sorenstam went over $20 million in career earnings. Despite retiring in 2008, she is still the highest earner on the LPGA Tour, having amassed $22,583,693 in prize money from 307 events during her illustrious career.
Annika Sorenstam is the LPGA Tour's highest earner to date
Out of the top 5 highest female earners to date, 26-year-old Lydia Ko is also the youngest in 5th spot with $16,942,692, and she has played fewer events than those above her on the table. In 2014, Ko became the youngest millionaire ever on the LPGA in her first full season as a pro.
Since turning professional in 2010 and 240 events later, Lexi Thompson’s earnings have escalated to $13,927,016, while Amy Yang’s $2 million from this year's CME Tour Championship contributed nicely to her $13,882,919 total.
Lydia Ko is the youngest highest earner
The player that really stands out is Lorena Ochoa, who ranks one below Ko with $14,863,331 from just 175 events, which reflects her domination of the women’s game between 2007 and 2010.
Juli Inkster’s professional career spans 29 years to date and includes 31 wins on the LPGA Tour. While her career earnings of $14,018,391 is a significant amount, she has played in 714 events, which is far more than any other player topping the ranking list.
Highest Career Earnings On The LPGA Tour
| Rank | Player | Career Earnings | Career Events Played |
| 1 | Annika Sorenstam | $22,583,693 | 307 |
| 2 | Karrie Web | $20,293,617 | 494 |
| 3 | Cristie Kerr | $20,179,848 | 597 |
| 4 | Inbee Park | $18,262,344 | 305 |
| 5 | Lydia Ko | $16,942,692 | 225 |
| 6 | Lorena Ochoa | $14,863,331 | 175 |
| 7 | Suzann Pettersen | $14,837,578 | 316 |
| 8 | Stacy Lewis | $14,493,255 | 341 |
| 9 | Juli Inkster | $14,018,391 | 714 |
| 10 | Lexi Thompson | $13,927,016 | 240 |
| 11 | Amy Yang | $13,882,919 | 328 |
| 12 | Minjee Lee | $13,864,143 | 207 |
| 13 | Anna Nordqvist | $12,823,565 | 330 |
| 14 | Sei Young Kim | $12,736,813 | 200 |
| 15 | Se Ri Pak | $12,583,712 | 365 |
| Row 16 - Cell 0 | Row 16 - Cell 1 | Row 16 - Cell 2 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
LPGA statistics includes verified data from 1980 to present
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