Grant Thornton Invitational Offered LPGA a Massive Prize Pool, but Drastically Fell Below PGA Tour Standards Exposing a Tragic Disparity

The hype in the golf world peaked as the Grant Thornton Invitational reached its climax on Sunday. And the event, which ended a while ago, was nothing short of a monumental step toward the betterment of both men’s and women’s golf. However, as the sixteen teams of 32 golfers took to the Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples to duke it out for the first-ever title of champion, one couldn’t help but notice the amount of prize money being offered to the winners, an equal purse of $4 million, piquing the interest of many.

In the case of the PGA Tour, it enjoys just a handful of events that have a lower money pool than the co-sanctioned tournament. But it is not the same for the LPGA Tour, as the event boasts the biggest prize purse on the women’s circuit apart from the season-ending championship and the majors. And so, apart from the issues of coverage and viewership that already spell a major concern for women’s golf, it brings the attention of the sporting world to another disparity between the two circuits: the money being offered to female golfers.

The Grant Thornton Invitational shines light on the LPGA Tour’s money disparity

The domain of women’s sports has experienced many hurdles to reach where it is currently. Although a lot has changed, athletes, especially female golfers, continue to encounter such situations, including the aspect of less investment in the game of golf. However, the Grant Thornton Invitational, which ended not too long ago, saw a change in the usual pattern of money being offered as the purse was set at an equal $4 million, with the winner’s cut being $1 million, which was claimed by Jason Day and Lydia Ko.

It is not a hidden fact that the majority of the events on the PGA Tour boast a lot more prize purse than the tournaments on the women’s circuit. And a large part of it stems from the notion that women’s sport is less famous and entertaining than its counterpart, men’s golf. This, in turn, leads to many of the corporations spending less money on the same, leading to an increase in disparity. Besides, it becomes much more evident when one looks at the difference in the total amount of prize money being offered to both circuits. While the PGA Tour conducted 47 official tournaments in the 2023 season, a total of at least $563,500,000 was offered across the same. Whereas, for the LPGA Tour, it was announced that the 2024 schedule would witness a total of $116 million being offered as prize money. There was a massive difference even between the previous season of the men’s circuit and the upcoming year of women’s golf.

What’s more, it is without a doubt concerning when one compares the total earnings of a PGA Tour pro as opposed to a professional on the LPGA Tour. In the 2022 season, if one were to win all the events on the men’s circuit, the golfer could have been able to rake in more than $80 million with just the winner’s cut alone. However, the same could not be said for the athlete’s counterpart, as $88 million was the total prize money the circuit offered its players throughout the year. Although in 2023, the same was increased to $101.4 million, it still spells a massive difference as opposed to the PGA Tour’s pool, which was more than five times its size. Even in the season finale of the two circuits, the men’s circuit boasted a whopping $75 million for the Tour Championship, while the CME Group Tour Championship had only $7 million.

As prejudice regarding the unpopularity of women’s golf spreads in the community, fewer people tend to watch the same on television owing to the same. And this, in turn, leads to a lower turnover of profit for the networks, leading to less investment in them. Keeping that aspect in mind, one can’t help but wonder: Did the recently c0-sanctioned event boast such a prize purse because it was a mixed-team event?

The crossover effect of the PGA Tour on the LPGA Tour

Well, the thought that the recently ended event was offered such a prize purse since it was co-sanctioned by both tours cannot be discarded. Moreover, the tournament itself being covered by the NBC Network over the three days on its various channels speaks volumes about a very possible aftereffect of the men’s golfing world on the women’s sport.

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Although the current situation in the women’s circuit requires a lot more progress, it is not without hope. What’s more, the community would not be able to deny the advantages of such an event for women’s golf and the LPGA Tour as a whole since it helps balance both circuits to a certain standard. Moreover, in the coming year, it was also declared that a total of ten events on the women’s circuit would offer at least $3 million in prize money. Although it falls drastically compared to PGA Tour standards, it is nevertheless a major step for the sport. And thus, one can hope the event has acted as nothing short of a stepping stone for women’s golf to decrease the disparity between the two circuits, especially when it comes to the money being offered.

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