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Beth Ann Nichols

Meet the top-10 single-season money list winners in LPGA history

Almost any other season, Minjee Lee’s $3,809,960 earnings would’ve topped the LPGA money list. But with the CME Group Tour Championship offering a record-setting $2 million first-place prize, Lydia Ko’s season-ending victory pushed her to the top of the list for 2022 at $4,364,403. Lee finished second.

Ko moved up to fifth on the LPGA career money list with $16,695,357, ahead of Lorena Ochoa. Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Cristie Kerr and Inbee Park are the four players ahead of Ko.

A record-setting six players crossed the $2 million mark this season on the LPGA and 27 players won seven figures.

Where do Ko’s season earnings rank in history? Read on:

2006 – Lorena Ochoa: $2,592,872

Lorena Ochoa of Mexico follows through on a tee shot during the fourth round of the Tres Marias Championship at the Tres Marias Country Club on May 2, 2010 in Morelia, Mexico. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

Lorena Ochoa’s span of dominance began in 2006 with a major championship record 62 at the Kraft Nabisco (now Chevron). Ochoa won six events in ’06 and clinched her first Rolex Player of the Year award. She also won the Vare Trophy (given to the player with the lowest scoring average) and topped the money list. She finished in the top 10 in 21 of 25 starts.

2018 – Ariya Jutanugarn: $2,743,949

Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand plays her shot from the first tee during day four of the The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Ariya Jutanugarn’s 2018 three-win season was highlighted by a U.S. Women’s Open, her second major title. Jutanugarn’s three-win season set single-season records in rounds in the 60s and birdies. She won LPGA Player of the Year, the Vare Trophy and the money title.

2008 – Lorena Ochoa: $2,763,193

Lorena Ochoa of Mexico tosses her ball marker on the 16th green during her second round match at the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship at Hamilton Farm Golf Club on July 7, 2006.

Ochoa’s 2008 season included her second major championship title at what’s now the Chevron Championship. The next week she won the Corona Championship in Mexico by 11 strokes to earn the last point needed for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Once again, Ochoa swept the Player of the Year and Vare Trophy titles. She won seven times in 2008 and took the money title for a third straight year.

2019 – Jin Young Ko: $2,773,894

Jin Young Ko of Korea reacts on the 18th hole during the continuation of the final round of the 75th U.S. Women’s Open Championship at Champions Golf Club Cypress Creek Course on December 14, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Jin Young Ko’s second full season on the LPGA included two major titles (ANA Inspiration and Evian Championship). She won four LPGA events in 2019 and went bogey-free for a tour-record 114 holes. Ko won the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average and the Player of the Year titles with a dozen top 10s. She finished runner-up three times.

2015 – Lydia Ko: $2,800,802

Lydia Ko of New Zealand speaks to the media during her press conference after winning the Evian Championship Golf on September 13, 2015 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Lydia Ko won five times in 2015, with six additional top-3 finishes. She became the youngest player to rise to No. 1 in the world at age 17. Over the summer, Ko won her third Canadian Women’s Open title and became the youngest major champion in LPGA history at the Evian Championship.

In November, Ko became the youngest to win the Rolex LPGA POY title.

2002 – Annika Sorenstam: $2,863,904

Annika Sorenstam of Sweden poses with the trophy after winning her second Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills C.C. in Rancho Mirage, California. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Getty Images

Annika Sorenstam won 11 times is 23 starts in 2002, with six additional top-3 finishes. Sorenstam won her fifth Player of the Year title and fifth Vare Trophy. The remarkable Swede defended her title at what’s now known as the Chevron Championship, earning her fourth major title.

2011 – Yani Tseng: $2,921,713

Yani Tseng poses with the NW Arkansas Championship trophy after winning the LPGA golf tournament in Rogers, Ark., Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011. Tseng won in a playoff with South Korea’s Amy Yang.

Yani Tseng rose to No. 1 in the world early in 2011. She went on to win back-to-back major titles, including the LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open at Carnoustie. She became the youngest player, male or female, to win five majors.

The highlight of year though, might have been when she won the first LPGA event on Taiwanese soil in front of enormous crowds. Tseng won seven titles in 2011, running away with the POY title.

2021 – Jin Young Ko: $3,502,161

Jin Young Ko of Korea poses the Rolex Player of the Year trophy after winning the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 21, 2021 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Jin Young Ko’s torrid stretch in the second half of 2021 featured five victories, including the CME Group Tour Championship. Her closing 66 at the Founders Cup enabled her to tie Sorenstam’s record of 14 consecutive rounds in the 60s.

Ko teed it up 19 times in 2021, notching 13 top-10 finishes. She claimed her second POY title and topped the money list for a third straight year.

2022 – Lydia Ko: $4,364,403

Lydia Ko poses for a photo with the Vare Trophy, the Rolex Player of the Year trophy and the CME Globe trophy after winning the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 20, 2022 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Lydia Ko’s comeback season began with victory at the Gainbridge LPGA in January and ended with a $2 million payday at the CME Group Tour Championship. Ko won three times this season and finished in the top 10 a total of 14 times in 22 starts. Ko won Player of the Year and Vare Trophy titles and topped the money list, finishing only $591 behind the all-time record.

The former phenom became the 15th different player to win the POY at least twice.

2007 – Lorena Ochoa: $4,364,994

Lorena Ochoa of Mexico celebrates saving par on the 18th green during the third round of the Corona Championship April 28, 2007 at Tres Marias Club de Golf in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.

The 2007 season was an iconic one for Ochoa, who overtook Sorenstam as World No. 1 in April. Her eight victories included the first Women’s British Open ever held over the Old Course at St. Andrews. She’d go on to win her next two events.

Ochoa once again won the Vare Trophy and Player of the Year titles. Her $4,364,994 in winnings remains a record for women’s golf.

LPGA single-season money list winners by year

Year Player Money
1950 Babe Zaharias 14,800
1951 Babe Zaharias 15,087
1952 Betsy Rawls 14,505
1953 Louise Suggs 19,816
1954 Patty Berg 16,011
1955 Patty Berg 16,492
1956 Marlene Hagge 20,235
1957 Patty Berg 16,272
1958 Beverly Hanson 12,639
1959 Betsy Rawls 26,774
1960 Louise Suggs 16,892
1961 Mickey Wright 22,236
1962 Mickey Wright 21,641
1963 Mickey Wright 31,269
1964 Mickey Wright 29,800
1965 Kathy Whitworth 28,658
1966 Kathy Whitworth 33,517
1967 Kathy Whitworth 32,937
1968 Kathy Whitworth 48,379
1969 Carol Mann 49,152
1970 Kathy Whitworth 30,235
1971 Kathy Whitworth 41,181
1972 Kathy Whitworth 65,063
1973 Kathy Whitworth 82,864
1974 JoAnne Carner 87,094
1975 Sandra Palmer 76,374
1976 Judy Rankin 150,737
1977 Judy Rankin 122,890
1978 Nancy Lopez 189,814
1979 Nancy Lopez 197,489
1980 Beth Daniel 231,000
1981 Beth Daniel 206,998
1982 JoAnne Carner 310,400
1983 JoAnne Carner 291,404
1984 Betsy King 266,771
1985 Nancy Lopez 416,472
1986 Pat Bradley 492,021
1987 Ayako Okamoto 466,034
1988 Sherri Turner 350,851
1989 Betsy King 654,132
1990 Beth Daniel 863,578
1991 Pat Bradley 763,118
1992 Dottie Mochrie (Pepper) 693,335
1993 Betsy King 595,992
1994 Laura Davies 687,201
1995 Annika Sorenstam 666,533
1996 Karrie Webb 1,002,000
1997 Annika Sorenstam 1,236,789
1998 Annika Sorenstam 1,092,748
1999 Karrie Webb 1,591,959
2000 Karrie Webb 1,876,853
2001 Annika Sorenstam 2,105,868
2002 Annika Sorenstam 2,863,904
2003 Annika Sorenstam 2,029,506
2004 Annika Sorenstam 2,544,707
2005 Annika Sorenstam 2,588,240
2006 Lorena Ochoa 2,592,872
2007 Lorena Ochoa 4,364,994
2008 Lorena Ochoa 2,763,193
2009 Jiyai Shin 1,807,334
2010 Na Yeon Choi 1,871,165
2011 Yani Tseng 2,921,713
2012 Inbee Park 2,287,080
2013 Inbee Park 2,456,619
2014 Stacy Lewis 2,539,039
2015 Lydia Ko 2,800,802
2016 Ariya Jutanugarn 2,550,947
2017 Sung Hyun Park 2,335,883
2018 Ariya Jutanugarn 2,743,949
2019 Jin Young Ko 2,773,894
2020 Jin Young Ko 1,667,925
2021 Jin Young Ko 3,502,161
2022 Lydia Ko 4,364,403

 

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