Golf Suffered a Major Embarrassment Behind Several Other Sports After Being Exposed by an In-Depth Report in 2021

The gender pay gap has been an issue faced by nearly every sport. However, when it comes to the sport of golf, the difference is immense. Last year, BBC conducted a study on golf’s gender pay gap. Though the outcome was predictable, some results created massive worry among the fans of the sport.

Most commonly, golf gives out the perception of high prize money. Whether it’s the millions earned by Billionaire Tiger Woods or 9 figure cheque offered to golfers by LIV Golf, the sport is no shy of seeing the green notes in hefty amounts.

Nonetheless, when it comes to women’s golf, the initiation of improvement in prize money has only been done recently. Despite that, the BBC study showered light on some of the dark truths of the sport.

Golf has the biggest gender pay gap in the world

As per the study, the BBC looked into 48 different sports from around the world. After a thorough study, golf along with soccer and basketball were the only three sports where any Major competition did not have equal prize money.

Men’s first-place winner’s purses in all three of golf’s traditional mixed Majors—the Open, US Open, and PGA Championship—are all more than $1 million richer than women’s.

The British Media company found out the disparities in prize money between the 2021 US Open, which awards $1 million to the women’s champion and $2.25 million to the male victor.

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Additionally, it was discovered that the deficit had grown, going from $900,000 in 2014 to $1.25 million in 2021. Since there is so much difference between both genders, are women golfers underpaid?

Why is there such a massive difference in the gender pay gap?

Though women are paid much lesser than men, they still earn one of the highest in the sport as per the study. Moreover, events such as ISPS Handa World Invitational and Vic Open are being conducted, which are tournaments with equal pay for both genders.

Undoubtedly, a lot goes into the ultimate decision of the salary of the golfers. Endorsement deals, viewership, talent worth watching, and much more. However, in recent years, LPGA golfers have shown that they do have all the traits to earn equal pay.

Female golfers such as Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, and Minjee Lee, to name a few, have garnered a massive following around themselves. This has been mainly because of the gripping talent formed in the LPGA Tour.

Though for the female stars to earn massive cheques similar to LIV Golf may seem a bit of a reach, equal pay between the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour is worth a shout.

What are your thoughts on equal pay? Let us know in the comments section below.

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