As the final putt dropped to the bottom of the hallowed cup on the 18th green at the Old Course, StAndrews, I watched in delight as a crowd of young girls celebrated Lydia Ko’s victory. It was wonderful to see. It made me realise just how much the golfing landscape has changed for the women’s game in the decade since the tournament was last here at the Home of Golf.
Back in 2013 a fresh-faced Stacy Lewis took the title and the winner’s cheque for $402,583. Fast forward eleven years and the total prize-pot is more than three and a half times bigger this year - a record $9.5 million, with Ko taking home a sizeable $1.425 million winner’s pay cheque. That’s more than £500,000 more than last year. Now that’s change.
Although decent prize money is a huge step in the right direction for equality in the game of golf, it’s still a small drop in the North Sea compared to when the Open Championship rolls into town. I was here two years ago when Cameron Smith collected the Claret Jug in the historic 150th playing of the Open Championship and you couldn’t buy a spectator ticket for love nor money.
