Top-earning women golfers of all time
(STACKER) – In 1950, the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour started with just 14 tournaments and $50,000 in prize money. Since then, the tour has grown to 34 events and a total purse prize of $90 million in 2022, up from $67 million in 2019. Although that’s a good amount of money, it still pales in comparison to what male professional golfers make—the total amount of prize money on the PGA Tour this season sits at $427 million.
The LPGA tournament schedule is built around five major tournaments: Spring’s Chevron Championship; June’s U.S. Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship; July’s Amundi Evian Championship; and the AIG Women’s Open in August. In 2022, the five majors will award a combined purse of $37.3 million.
For an exceptional player, the LPGA Tour can provide a lucrative career. Stacker ranked the top 25 earning golfers of all time on the LPGA Tour based on the tour’s official career money list. Total earnings and events played are current as of July 6, 2022.
In total, 290 golfers have earned more than $1 million on the LPGA tour. The total amount of prize money earned throughout the history of the LPGA exceeds $1.3 billion. Roughly a quarter of that $1.3 billion has been won by the 25 golfers on this list.
#25. Catriona Matthew
– Career earnings: $9,732,920
– Total events: 564
– Rookie year: 1995
– Country: Scotland
#24. In Kyung Kim
– Career earnings: $9,863,911
– Total events: 286
– Rookie year: 2007
– Country: South Korea
#23. Jin Young Ko
– Career earnings: $10,185,256
– Total events: 90
– Rookie year: 2018
– Country: South Korea
#22. Ariya Jutanugarn
– Career earnings: $10,343,149
– Total events: 213
– Rookie year: 2015
– Country: Thailand
#21. Amy Yang
– Career earnings: $10,515,477
– Total events: 303
– Rookie year: 2008
– Country: South Korea
#20. Yani Tseng
– Career earnings: $10,551,388
– Total events: 276
– Rookie year: 2008
– Country: Taiwan
#19. Na Yeon Choi
– Career earnings: $10,977,145
– Total events: 297
– Rookie year: 2008
– Country: South Korea
#18. Anna Nordqvist
– Career earnings: $11,461,265
– Total events: 303
– Rookie year: 2009
– Country: Sweden
#17. Sei Young Kim
– Career earnings: $11,572,180
– Total events: 172
– Rookie year: 2015
– Country: South Korea
#16. Minjee Lee
– Career earnings: $11,776,158
– Total events: 187
– Rookie year: 2015
– Country: Australia
#15. So Yeon Ryu
– Career earnings: $11,916,126
– Total events: 227
– Rookie year: 2012
– Country: South Korea
#14. Shanshan Feng
– Career earnings: $11,981,365
– Total events: 260
– Rookie year: 2008
– Country: China
#13. Angela Stanford
– Career earnings: $12,101,441
– Total events: 502
– Rookie year: 2001
– Country: USA
#12. Paula Creamer
– Career earnings: $12,134,840
– Total events: 339
– Rookie year: 2005
– Country: USA
#11. Se Ri Pak
– Career earnings: $12,583,713
– Total events: 365
– Rookie year: 1998
– Country: South Korea
#10. Lexi Thompson
– Career earnings: $13,326,872
– Total events: 231
– Rookie year: 2012
– Country: USA
#9. Lydia Ko
– Career earnings: $13,554,224
– Total events: 211
– Rookie year: 2014
– Country: New Zealand
#8. Juli Inkster
– Career earnings: $14,038,081
– Total events: 716
– Rookie year: 1983
– Country: USA
#7. Stacy Lewis
– Career earnings: $14,075,270
– Total events: 320
– Rookie year: 2009
– Country: USA
#6. Suzann Pettersen
– Career earnings: $14,837,579
– Total events: 315
– Rookie year: 2003
– Country: Norway
#5. Lorena Ochoa
– Career earnings: $14,863,331
– Total events: 175
– Rookie year: 2003
– Country: Mexico
#4. Inbee Park
– Career earnings: $18,197,343
– Total events: 302
– Rookie year: 2007
– Country: South Korea
#3. Cristie Kerr
– Career earnings: $20,154,962
– Total events: 582
– Rookie year: 1997
– Country: USA
#2. Karrie Webb
– Career earnings: $20,276,503
– Total events: 492
– Rookie year: 1996
– Country: Australia
#1. Annika Sorenstam
– Career earnings: $22,577,025
– Total events: 305
– Rookie year: 1994
– Country: Sweden
