In recent years there has been a "move in women’s professional golf to increase sponsorship for tournaments as well as for individual golfers," as purses have "risen at tournaments, new sponsors have sought out golfers and even players who are not at the top of their careers have reaped the benefits," according to Paul Sullivan of the N.Y. TIMES. The LPGA has “been increasing prize money for players up and down the tour ranking.” This year, the total purse for 36 official events is more than $100M. Ten years ago, that number was $49M, but even in 2021 it was around $70M. Sullivan wrote a factor “driving increased interest -- and money" -- in women’s golf is the “desire among companies to sponsor both men and women.” Early to this effort was KPMG, which “broke ground -- and set a new standard -- by continuing to pay [LPGA member] Stacy Lewis under her sponsorship contract” when she had her daughter in 2018. Previously, golfers had to “play a certain number of events in order to receive all of their sponsorship dollars.” Sullivan noted smaller companies have “also gotten in on supporting LPGA players.” Philadelphia-based law firm Cozen O’Connor has sponsored players on the PGA Tour for several years and this year added LPGA member Ally Ewing (N.Y. TIMES, 7/15).
