Golf has historically served as a window into larger social inequalities, and the gender wage disparity in the game is still a stark illustration of this. Athletes from a variety of sports have brought attention to the unfair treatment of female opponents, from the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s legal struggles for equal compensation to tennis player Novak Djokovic’s contentious remarks regarding prize money.

This difference is particularly noticeable in golf, where male players frequently make much more money than female players, even though their skill levels and levels of dedication are similar. Enter Lydia Ko, a remarkable talent who, at the age of 15, became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA event.

Ko, who is currently 28 years old, has a stellar resume that includes several major titles and an Olympic silver medal. However, Ko is still very conscious of the structural injustices that still exist in her sport, even in spite of her own achievements. As the LPGA marks a major milestone, Ko’s recent reflections highlight both its progress and the challenges that remain.

Lydia Ko is still bothered by a big issue: ‘Long way to go’

The LPGA is at a turning point as it prepares for its 75th season, featuring 33 official events and a total prize money payout of more than $131 million, an all-time high. Ko has become a strong voice for further advancement in women’s golf throughout this change. Ko praised the good changes in the sport, like more sponsorship and better event venues, in her interview with the Golf Channel. She said, “We’re very grateful as a tour and as a player to have such immense support from… Chevron, AIG, Evian, CME… and even a lot of our domestic tournament partners.”

Lydia Ko emphasized the importance of competing on elite courses that are often used for men’s competitions, using the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as an excellent illustration. “KPMG has been a clear example of taking us to these golf courses where it’s traditionally known to be a men’s major championship golf course,” she remarked. Such actions signify a larger movement in the sport toward gender equity in addition to improving the standing of women’s competitions.

Ko was quick to note that there are still difficulties, though. Her statement highlighted the ongoing disparity between men’s and women’s golf. “I do believe that we’ve still got a long way to go,” she stated. As she puts it, “I would like to see a world where there is no comparison between the men and the women because that is still a big thing.” She imagines a time when comparing the two will be rendered obsolete. While Ko applauds the sport’s evolution, her optimism is anchored in the hope of closing the gender pay gap for good.

Lydia Ko anticipates a reduction in the pay gap between men’s and women’s tours

Professional golf’s financial inequalities are widely known. Even though prize money on the LPGA has increased—it reached $101.4 million in 2023—it is still far less than what the men’s tour earned. Ko is still optimistic that this disparity will narrow further thanks to rising corporate support and greater awareness of women’s golf.

Significant progress has been made in the direction of pay equity in recent years. The Saudi Ladies International, for example, offered $5 million to contestants by matching its prize fund with the men’s event. Such changes, in Lydia Ko’s opinion, are a sign of a positive trend. “Even on the LPGA, we’ve seen that kind of momentum of more partners supporting and believing in the women’s game,” she stated.

Ko admits that more needs to be done in spite of these developments. She stresses that in order to guarantee that women’s golf gets the credit and funding it merits, players, sponsors, and regulatory bodies must continue to advocate for and work together. “With all our powers together and what we can do as players, I think there’s still a ways to go,” she said. As the LPGA celebrates its 75th anniversary and moves through a leadership transition, voices like Lydia Ko’s remind us of the strides made and the path ahead in the fight for equality in golf.