Honestly, it feels like only a few years ago we were talking about $2 million being the "holy grail" for a single-season payout in women's golf. Now? We have players clearing double that in a single weekend. The LPGA Tour money list has evolved from a basic leaderboard into a full-blown financial arms race. If you haven't checked the standings lately, you're basically looking at a different sport than the one we saw five years ago.
The numbers are getting wild.
The Jeeno Thitikul Effect and the $4 Million Weekend
Let's talk about what happened at the end of 2025 because it completely reset the bar for the 2026 season. Jeeno Thitikul didn't just win the CME Group Tour Championship; she defended it. That's two years in a row where she pocketed a $4 million check in one go. To put that into perspective, Annika Sorenstam, the absolute GOAT of the career money list with over $22.5 million, never had a single payday even remotely close to that.
Jeeno is only 22.
She's already surged to 7th on the all-time list with over $17.3 million in career earnings. It took Hall of Famers decades to hit those numbers. It took Jeeno four seasons. This is why the LPGA Tour money list is so fascinating right now; the "Official Money" isn't just about who played the most consistent golf—it’s about who showed up when the purses were massive.
Tracking the 2026 LPGA Tour Money List Leaders
As we kick off 2026, the schedule is staring down a record-breaking $132 million total prize fund. That is a massive jump. We're talking about 33 events where the floor has been raised significantly.
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Nelly Korda is still the name on everyone's lips, obviously. Even though she went winless in 2025 (which was a huge shock to pretty much everyone), she still banked nearly $3 million on the course. Why? Because the purses for top-5 finishes are now what winners used to take home. She finished the year 9th on the career money list at $16.1 million.
Current Top Earners to Watch
- Jeeno Thitikul: The undisputed queen of the "Big Check." Her ability to peak at the season finale makes her the betting favorite to lead the list again.
- Lydia Ko: She’s within striking distance of Annika’s #1 all-time spot. She’s sitting at roughly $21.3 million. She needs about $1.3 million more to become the highest-earning female golfer in history.
- Minjee Lee: Always lurking. She’s 5th all-time ($18.6 million) and is one of the most consistent "ATM machines" on tour.
- Nelly Korda: The American powerhouse. If she starts winning again in 2026, she could easily have a $7 million+ season given the new purse structures.
Why the Money List Looks So Different This Year
It’s not just the majors anymore. Sure, the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship are still the big whales with $12 million purses each, but the "regular" stops are catching up.
Take the FM Championship at TPC Boston. That’s a $4.4 million purse. Or the Aramco Championship at Shadow Creek at $4 million. These aren't "minor" events anymore. When a non-major pays out more than the entire tour purse did in the 90s, the LPGA Tour money list starts to shift in a hurry.
There's also a new focus on the "minimums." In 2026, over 15 tournaments are guaranteeing minimum prize money to every single player in the field. This is a huge deal for the players ranked 80th to 100th who used to lose money on travel expenses if they missed a cut.
The Race for the All-Time Number One
We are officially on "Annika Watch."
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For years, Annika Sorenstam’s $22,583,693 felt like one of those unbreakable records. Sorta like Cy Young’s wins in baseball. But with the way the LPGA Tour money list is ballooning, Lydia Ko could realistically pass her by the summer of 2026.
Think about that. Lydia is only 28. If she stays healthy and keeps her head in the game, she might not just break the record—she might push it to $35 or $40 million before she hangs it up.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About the Rankings
A lot of people confuse the Rolex Rankings (World Rankings) with the Money List. They aren't the same.
The Rolex Rankings are about how you play—strength of field, finishing position, and consistency over two years. The Money List is just cold, hard cash. You can be the #1 player in the world (like Nelly was for much of 2025) but not be #1 on the money list if someone else is winning the $4 million "lottery" events.
It creates a weird tension. Who is the "better" player? The one with the most points or the one with the biggest bank account? Usually, they overlap, but in this era of "Mega-Purses," the outliers are becoming more common.
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Realities of the Grind
Despite the $132 million total fund, it’s not all private jets and easy living.
Caddie fees, travel, coaches, and taxes eat up about 30% to 50% of these earnings. When you see a player win $100,000 for a T10 finish, they aren't actually pocketing $100k. They’re paying a caddie 7-10%, paying for flights from South Korea to Florida, and covering hotel bills for their team.
This is why the bottom half of the money list matters so much. If the 100th player on the list isn't making at least $250,000, they are barely breaking even. In 2026, for the first time, we're seeing a Tour where the "middle class" of golf can actually build a retirement fund.
Actionable Insights for Following the 2026 Season
If you want to track who’s actually winning the season, don't just look at the trophies. Follow the "Average Earnings Per Start." It tells a much truer story than the total aggregate.
- Watch the Major Season: The stretch from the Chevron in April to the AIG Women's Open in August is where 60% of the total season money is concentrated.
- Keep an eye on the "Floor": See if the players ranked 100-120 are clearing the $200k mark. That’s the true sign of a healthy tour.
- The Lydia vs. Annika Tracker: Bookmark the career money list. We are witnessing history this year.
The LPGA Tour money list is no longer just a stat sheet for nerds. It’s a reflection of the massive growth in women’s sports. With $132 million on the table, every putt on a Sunday afternoon just got a lot more expensive.