The LPGA Tour has seen a lot of growth recently. The star power of Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Charley Hull has seen an immense rise in their popularity. Fans around the world have been tuning in to watch the best women’s golfers compete on the Tour on a weekly basis. The LPGA Tour has consistently delivered an exciting product, and that has led to a drastic increase in its viewership recently.
Unlike the PGA Tour, the top golfers in the LPGA Tour are typically more involved in the development of the product. Even when there is an issue in the league that they collectively face, it’s the players who take active steps to get it resolved on the course. Despite not having a definite leader since Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s exit, Korda & Co. were able to tackle the slow play problem effectively. In fact, fans had even advised Jay Monahan & Co. to follow the suit of the LPGA Tour to deal with the pace of play problems.
But despite the increase in quality, efforts, and popularity, the LPGA Tour players are still underpaid. They get a fraction of what the PGA Tour pros earn on a weekly basis. The top players in the women’s league have been fighting to get those numbers up constantly. Even though the LPGA Tour celebrated its 75th anniversary with the biggest season purse of $131 million, it’s still relatively much lower than what the men get. And hence, Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and other big names have been vocal about getting better coverage and bigger sponsorship deals.
But LPGA Tour legend Dottie Pepper believes that they need to ‘earn it’ themselves instead of demanding it. Pepper has had an illustrious career as a professional golfer, winning 17 LPGA Tour titles, which included 2 majors. She is one of the most respected individuals in the history of the sport. The 59-year-old was a guest on the last episode of Golf Channel’s Golf Central on YouTube. During one of the segments, she was asked who the biggest woman golfer is right now and how the LPGA Tour can capitalize on the popularity of its biggest stars.
Acknowledging the world No. 1 first, Pepper replied, “Nelly, purely from an athletic and mechanical standpoint, is getting eyeballs. Because people want to see Nelly Korda hit a golf ball.” After confirming that Korda is the face of the LPGA Tour, she added, “Everybody needs to put the me behind them and put the Tour forward. I think I hear a lot of people say “We deserve more coverage or we deserve more print media. We deserve more big sponsorship.” According to Pepper, the women should remember how the LPGA Tour was started by 13 women. Back then, Alice Bauer, Patty Berg, and Co. did everything themselves. Playing the sport, managing the league, writing the cheques, and also managing their own families back then.
“They earned it every day”, said Pepper, acknowledging the amazing women who formed the LPGA Tour. She further stated, “If today’s players remember that; think like they did, think that they have to continue to earn it, the good stuff is going to come.” Pepper believes that the LPGA Tour women have forgotten that and have begun to lose their spirit, which doesn’t please her.
BELLEAIR, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 14: Nelly Korda plays a shot on the third hole during the final round of the Pelican Women’s Championship at Pelican Golf Club on November 14, 2021 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
But have the LPGA Tour stars really become too demanding for their own good? Let’s see what the top players have been doing to make sure the Tour makes the news.
Nelly Korda & Co. are taking the LPGA Tour to the next level
Leading from the front, Nelly Korda herself is putting the LPGA Tour on the map. Apart from her unbelievable on-course skills, Korda has also indulged in other activities that increase her popularity and shed some light on the Tour. More recently, the World No. 1’s decision to feature in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuits magazine caught a lot of media attention. Going out of her comfort zone, Korda was seen posing for the 2025 edition of the famed swimsuit magazine.
The LPGA Tour has also received a lot of international representation over the last few years. Lydia Ko has spread the popularity of women’s golf in Australia and New Zealand. Charley Hull has made the Tour famous in the U.K. and all of Europe. Jeeno Thitikul, Ruoning Yin, Ayaka Furue, and Jin Young Ko have made it popular in Asia. With their efforts on the course and their impact on the youth, the LPGA Tour has been getting a lot of spotlight recently. They might not get instant success and drastic growth, but their hard work is showing great results every season. If this continues, then their dream of getting bigger sponsorships and better coverage will be fulfilled in the coming years.
Do you think the landscape of the LPGA Tour will change drastically if they continue to consistently deliver a great product? Share your views in the comments section.
The post LPGA Stars Ordered to ‘Earn It’ as Their Demands for ‘Big Sponsorships’ Upset Retired Golf Legend appeared first on EssentiallySports.
