Nelly Korda dominated headlines in 2024. So did Scottie Scheffler. For the same reason, a stellar season full of victories. Her earnings? $4.2 million on the course. His? $62.2 million inclusive of all the bonuses. This screams the pay disparity that exists in golf. In an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports’s Andrew Whitelaw, LPGA Tour pro Lauren Coughlin also shed light on the glaring pay gap between the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour.
“How much money did Scheffler make last year and how much money did Nelly make last year on course? And they had very comparable years, I would say, in terms of how many they won and the dominance that they had. It’s unfortunate, and I think, you know, we’re moving in the right direction, I just wish it would be a little bit faster,” Coughlin pointed out. Even the LPGA’s total prize fund of $131 million for 2025—which stars like Korda fight to improve—stands at barely one-fifth of the PGA Tour’s $600+ million purse.
As the fight against golf’s gender pay gap elevates, a more severe financial crisis quietly unfolds in European women’s golf. The disparity isn’t just about gender anymore—it’s about geography and survival.
LET pros face stark financial reality as the prize money gap widens
A candid social media exchange recently exposed an even starker reality. It began with Meghan MacLaren asking if people would be interested in seeing her documenting life on LET. It sparked her interest since Michael S Kim’s posts get a lot of attention. Intrigued by this, a fan asked, “Can women make a decent living on @LETgolf or do they need to go to the LPGA? Is the money equal?” Answering this, MacLaren pulled no punches.
“The money isn’t equal—think the minimum purse on LPGA is around $2 million, on LET it’s just over $300,000 lol,” she shared, her “lol” masking a serious issue facing European players. The numbers tell a similar sobering story. While LPGA Tour events have purses of $2 million and beyond, their European counterparts struggle to offer even a sixth of that amount, with standard LET events like the Joburg Ladies Open offering just $309,000.
For perspective, some smaller LET events, like the Rose Ladies Open, offered an even more modest $87,600 in 2024. MacLaren noted a silver lining: “But you can still make a good living on LET if you’re in the top 5/10% I’d say.” The top players like Stephanie Kyriacou can earn upwards of $825,000 annually, and those ranked outside the top 100 typically earn less than $15,500 per year—an amount that barely could cover annual travel expenses.
The challenge of making ends meet becomes clearer when considering the costs. Players face annual expenses of $20,000-$40,000 for travel alone, plus $1,500-$3,000 monthly coaching fees and $10,000-$20,000 in equipment costs. However, the LET’s financial landscape shows improvement.
MacLaren acknowledged, “The last few years has really helped that with more events and more events with bigger prize funds.” Total prize money has grown from $14.4 million in 2021 to $40.2 million in 2025. The Aramco Team Series now offers purses up to $2.5 million. However, as MacLaren noted, “But a big difference in overall money between the two tours.” LPGA’s total prize fund for 2025 stands at $131 million—triple the LET’s purse.
The money isn’t equal – think the minimum purse on LPGA is around $2million, on LET it’s just over $300,000 lol.
But you can still make a good living on LET if you’re in the top 5/10% I’d say. The last few years has really helped that with more events and more events with bigger…
— Meghan MacLaren (@meg_maclaren) February 10, 2025
These financial disparities between the Tours have sparked a noticeable shift in where European players choose to compete.
Meghan MacLaren exposes the European exodus reshaping women’s golf
The numbers show a clear trend—European representation on the LPGA Tour has jumped from 18% to 25% in just four years. Recent examples include France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who, after winning on the LET, secured LPGA status for 2025. Then we have Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, who traded her position as LET Order of Merit leader for an LPGA dream. Their transitions follow the path blazed by Celine Boutier. After moving to LPGA, her earnings jumped from $384,353 to $2.7 million in just three years.
The impact on the LET is measurable and concerning. Field strength has declined, with scoring averages rising by 1.2 strokes since 2022. Players struggle with high costs. Annual travel expenses reach $40,000 while coaching fees and other expenses add another $36,000 yearly. For many, just breaking even requires consistent top-20 finishes in tournaments.
For every success story of a European player thriving on the LPGA Tour, there’s a corresponding void left on the LET. As more Europeans succeed in LPGA, the LET faces a growing challenge in maintaining its competitive strength. The future of European women’s golf now depends on LET’s ability to retain its rising stars.
What does this mean for the future of women’s golf in Europe? The key question remains: Will European golf fans still have a strong home Tour to support?
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