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For decades, women’s golf has complained about the lack of prize money and financial recognition. But it looks like things are finally turning around. Sportico just released the list of the 15 highest-earning female athletes, and the LPGA has not one but two players breaking into the top tier, and they are Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul.

These pros made the LPGA proud when the rankings were out, taking the No. 7 and No. 15 ranks, respectively. While it was Nelly Korda’s third consecutive year in the top-15 with $13.8 million in earnings, it was Thitikul’s second year on the list with $10.1 million in earnings. It’s a milestone moment, not just for them, but for women’s golf as a whole.

For Korda, most of her earnings come from a massive $11 million in endorsements. She now has close to 14 sponsors, including Nike, TaylorMade, Goldman Sachs, T-Mobile, Delta Air Lines, Rolex, and newest signee EY. The endorsement gap makes her position clear, as she earns on average between $8 million and $10 million annually through brand partnerships, more than any other LPGA player.

Out of the $13.8 million, her on-course earnings this year were only about $2.8 million compared to last year’s $4.4 million. That’s because Nelly Korda had no wins this year despite producing a dominating scoring average of 69.44, a stat better than last year’s. But she had nine top-10 finishes this year and came extremely close to winning on multiple occasions. Her biggest paycheck this season was $1.05 million. All thanks to her runner-up finish at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open.

Jeeno Thitikul, on the other hand, made a massive $7.6 million in on-course earnings, the largest earnings we have seen on the LPGA in recent times. While she dominated the season on the LPGA with three wins and nearly 14 top-10 finishes, the majority of her earnings came from her win at the CME Group Tour Championship and its $4 million prize. And her year wasn’t just successful, it was historic as she broke multiple records.

While this number is far ahead of Nelly Korda’s, it’s the endorsement gap between Korda and her. She makes only around $2.5 million in endorsements compared to Korda’s $10-$12 million. Jeeno Thiktikul is endorsed by brands like Callaway Golf, Nike, Rolex, Titleist, Adidas, and Hana Financial Group.

Compared to last year, Thitikul’s ranking dropped from No. 12 to No. 15, despite her on-course earnings being more than last year’s $7.1 million. Korda’s ranking, on the other hand, improved this year, as she was ranked No.8 on the list last year with total earnings of $14.4 million.

But last year, even Lydia Ko joined that list, ranking No.15 with close to $6.7 million in earnings. The Kiwi had a fruitful 2023 with three LPGA wins, including the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, but this year wasn’t as rewarding, as she earned only $1.1 million from official prize money.

While these players have been making headlines, the bigger story is the LPGA itself. Its prize money has been growing steadily, setting the stage for higher earnings and more opportunities across the Tour.

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The LPGA Tour’s Prize Money Revolution

While female golfers are finally cashing in, the top tier of global earners is still ruled by tennis, with Coco Gauff making $23 million in endorsements and $8 million in prize money this year. Compared to that, even the LPGA’s biggest star, Nelly Korda, is still operating on a smaller financial stage, pulling in $11 million in endorsements and $2.8 million in prize money. It clearly highlights the big gap and the work the LPGA still has to do.

But for the past few years, we have seen a substantial increase in prize money. In 2025, the tour offered prize money worth $131 million. This was more than double the $62 million available in 2021. It was an astonishing 113% increase in just four seasons. The surge has been felt most in the majors and the CME Group Tour Championship, which now regularly delivers big paychecks.

And the momentum isn’t slowing. For 2026, when the LPGA announced its 33-event schedule, it also announced a record $132 million in total prize money. It will be the largest ever in tour history. Tournaments that aren’t majors will alone see a total purse of around $82 million.

Twelve events are already confirmed to have elevated purses, more than 15 will offer guaranteed minimum payouts, and nearly 20 tournaments will enhance player experiences with hotel, flight, or transportation benefits. If the current trajectory holds, the LPGA won’t just be catching up, but it’ll be setting new standards for women’s sports altogether.