Shocking End: Insane Disparity Between PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy and LPGA’s Lydia Ko Portrays Shocking End Seasonal Gap
Undoubtedly, the PGA Tour is much more celebrated than the LPGA Tour. But in recent years, it has been noted that people are also taking an active interest in women’s golf. There has also been an evident spike in viewership. For example, the 2023 US Open at the iconic Pebble Beach had a record-breaking viewership that crossed 1 million on NBC for the third and last round.
But despite the growing trajectory of the LPGA Tour and progressive achievements by women athletes, a pertinent problem that still remains is the disparity between men’s and women’s golf. One such instance came to light at last year’s season-end gap between the PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy and the LPGA Tour’s Lydia Ko.
One would always notice a significant monetary inequity if the PGA Tour was compared with the LPGA Tour. And this is because a huge influx of money is invested in men’s golf.
One such occasion garnered the attention of the golf world last year when Lydia Ko received her pay cheque after the CME Group Tour Championship and Rory McIlroy was handed his first price share at the end of the Tour Championship.
According to a report, the 2022 CME Group Tour Championship had a raise in its prize fund of $4 million as compared to 2020. The winner’s payout was also $2 million last year, bagged by Lydia Ko. And this was one of the record paydays last year. But if we take a look at McIlroy’s 2022 Tour Championship earnings after his 21-under-par performance, this LPGA number would seem meager.
