ANTRIM, Northern Ireland — Ryann O’Toole was born and raised in California and now resides in Arizona, but she sure appears to be at home when she heads across the pond.
The 36-year-old O’Toole joined the LPGA in 2011 and in her 11th season on the LPGA captured her first victory, the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, by a three-stroke margin.
The former UCLA star is in position to add another title abroad after she opened with a pair of birdies on Saturday en route to a third-round 68 at the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle Golf Club.
“Maybe I just like playing in the UK. Maybe that’s something I need to hone in on, figure out,” O’Toole joked after the round. “I mean, ever since the win in Scotland I’ve been trying to have it happen again. Tomorrow just go out and see what happens.”
Added consecutive birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 and came to the clubhouse with the lead at 4 under, although Gabrielle Cowley later posted a 67 to take a one-stroke edge heading into the final round.
As for O’Toole, she’s clearly been better in her last few outings as she followed five straight missed cuts with a pair of top-30 finishes at a pair of majors — the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG British Women’s Open.
“I definitely feel like my game is trending. I noticed it the last couple weeks. Things are starting to fall into place, very consistent, things I’ve been working on,” she said. “Just getting the confidence up there … there is not a lot of erratic shots, so it’s been really good.”
Perhaps her finest moment of the tournament came on the 10th hole, when she put her second shot into a bush, and was forced to chip out. The shot ran through the green, but O’Toole responded by dropping the next chip in the hole.
“I would say that was the highlight birdie,” she said. “It was kind of nice just I felt like I got very unlucky to be in the bush, ball not in the bush, so one of those.”
While Galgorm Castle played difficult during the opening two rounds, a number of players took advantage of easier conditions on Saturday, including Esther Henseleit, who sits locked in second place with O’Toole after a 69 on Saturday.
But with 18 holes to play, O’Toole feels good about her chances to double her win total. The event, which is in its final playing, brings players from the DP World Tour, LPGA and Ladies European Tour together.
With a victory, O’Toole would become the sixth American to win on the LPGA Tour this season, joining three-time winner Lilia Vu and the quartet of Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz, Cheyenne Knight and Elizabeth Szokol. She would also be the oldest winner on the tour this year, taking the mark from 34-year-old Ashleigh Buhai, who won the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
“I like shotmaking. I think every hole is different. You have to work the ball. I really like that,” O’Toole said of the course. “From tee to green you have to play shots. Here you got a lot of crosswinds so you really have to commit to shots and kind of just take it as it comes and be really patient.
“There’s a lot of scorable holes out there. Today played definitely a lot shorter, which was unexpected. Feel like I didn’t capitalize on some of those shorter, pushed-up tees. But I stayed patient and it worked out.”
“I’m not mad at the club; I’m not mad at the sponsor. I’m annoyed at the LPGA for that just being an overlooked factor.”
ORLANDO — There’s no locker room for players here at the LPGA’s season-opener, an event designed to celebrate those who have hoisted trophies over the past two years. Don’t be surprised to see players at the Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions changing their shoes in the parking lot.
Lake Nona Golf and Country Club has a men’s locker room that would’ve been more than suitable for the 29 players in the field. LPGA players can use the bathrooms and showers in the women’s facility, but there’s no place for them to store anything while they’re on the course. That area is also not private.
Matilda Castren can’t imagine something like this playing out on the PGA Tour. Grant Waite, a former winner on the PGA Tour, was on the range at Lake Nona on Tuesday working with his student, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, and confirmed that he never played in a PGA Tour event that didn’t have access to a locker room.
Castren was as shocked about the locker room situation as she was about the player fact sheet that came out on Jan. 14, laying out restrictions for when players had access to practice facilities at Nona. In the memo, players were informed that they “may not use the practice facilities more than one hour prior to their practice tee times. Use of the practice facilities is not available unless playing a practice round.”
Castren inquired with an LPGA rules official about the situation on Monday and was told that it was non-negotiable with the tournament, but that the LPGA wouldn’t be strictly policing it.
“The guys would never agree to an hour of practice each day,” Castren said.
Danielle Kang reacts after winning the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 23, 2022, in Orlando. (Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
An LPGA official said what was written on the memo applied to last Sunday only, though there’s a section on the memo directly underneath the lines in dispute that read, “Sunday, January 15th” in bold and underlined type, followed by four lines explaining the rules specifically laid out for Sunday.
Aaron Stewart, VP of sports marketing at Hilton Grand Vacations, said that players were never restricted to one hour of practice and were free to practice even without scheduling a practice round.
“Once they have their credentials,” he said, “it’s their course.”
As for the locker room, a tour official said that due to the hospitality setup, the men’s locker room had to remain open to the public to utilize the restrooms, and that they were unable to create a private and secure locker room for LPGA players.
Stewart said they planned to order lockers for the week and use an area on the lower level of the clubhouse next to player dining for players in the field, but the tour itself changed course.
“I don’t know why they canceled the lockers,” he said.
An LPGA statement on the situation noted that the space offered to add temporary lockers did not include a bathroom area, and that due to a prioritization of that space for other player uses, the tournament team opted not to pursue that option.
“We are always open to player feedback,” the statement continued, “and work with our tournament partners to allocate finite space.”
Ryann O’Toole is sharing a car with a player this week, which makes working out of the trunk less than ideal.
“I’m not mad at the club; I’m not mad at the sponsor,” said O’Toole. “I’m annoyed at the LPGA for that just being an overlooked factor.”
One veteran LPGA player said that, in general, she often viewed how a club felt about hosting an event based on the locker room situation. If LPGA players were allowed to use the men’s locker room, typically the larger and nicer facility at a club, she felt particularly welcomed. Often times the club member would leave a note inside the locker wishing her luck.
The locker room isn’t just a place to store valuables and a change of clothes. It’s also an oasis for players to gather their thoughts away from the rest of the world.
“You should have a certain standard,” said Castren.
While the TOC has always been known for its party atmosphere with concerts, on-course music and a celebrity division, it’s also billed to be an elite event filled with the LPGA’s brightest stars, though a number are notably absent this year with the tour taking a full month off after the TOC.
Stewart said 43 playing professionals who compete on tours around the world call Lake Nona home.
World No. 1 Lydia Ko, who isn’t in the field this week because she recently got married and went on her honeymoon, has a house here. Annika Sorenstam, who will be competing in the celebrity portion of the event, has called Lake Nona home for decades. This is where the first Solheim Cup was contested in 1990. Players rave about the place.
LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan has talked often about placing an emphasis on performance excellence. She’s focused on putting together a strong schedule with big purses, but also on the small, important things that are needed to help players perform.
“So how do we create an environment for everyone within our ecosystem to reach their own peak performance?” she asked during a press conference last year in Singapore.
“And that goes to the things I just talked about, making it as easy as possible for our women to get the most sleep that they need, to eat properly when they come to tournaments, to have the administration taking care of them so they can focus on being the best that they can be.”
That would, of course, include the basics of a proper locker room setup and practice facilities, as well as strong, clear communication.
An LPGA official confirmed that Marcoux Samaan was unaware of either situation prior to Tuesday.
“At the end of the day we’re entertainers, but we sometimes don’t get paid for our entertainment.”
BELLEAIR, Fla. — The winner’s check at the upcoming CME Group Tour Championship will be equal to or greater than the purse at 20 of the 32 events on the LPGA this season. That record-setting $2 million payday will make headlines across the country and continue the narrative that there’s more money than ever in the women’s game, and while that’s true, it’s not the whole story.
For those players who have conditional status on the LPGA and fall between No. 101 and 150 on the money list, it’s becoming increasingly harder to make a living.
As major championship purses soar and more players than ever (currently 22) are enjoying seven-figure seasons on the LPGA, the majority of week-to-week purses on the biggest tour in the women’s game have barely increased over the last decade.
“I’ve seen so many players quit due to finances and not due to lack of talent,” said nine-year veteran Amy Olson, who also happens to be a CPA.
“You have to have a tour that provides sustainability for that next generation, and we don’t have that right now.”
Increased purses
The CME Group Tour Championship’s purse has increased from $1.5 million to $7 million in the last decade, surpassing and pushing even major championships to put up more cash. This year, the U.S. Women’s Open offered a record $10 million purse. The AIG Women’s British Open prize fund has increased 125 percent since 2019. Over the past 10 years, the average winner’s check at the majors has risen from $422,000 to $1.2 million. That’s life-changing money.
The money at other week-to-week events that have been the backbone of the LPGA for decades, however, have only slightly increased in that timeframe. This includes longstanding limited-field events in Asia, which have gone up only $100,000 or $200,000 since 2012.
The limited-field Asian events (where there’s no cut) have always been considered rewards for top players. But, despite tournament organizers paying expenses, those who have a bad week in Asia now lose money after paying their caddie’s expenses due to stagnant purses and increased travel costs.
The average purse on the LPGA 10 years ago – not counting the majors or CME – was $1.57 million. This year it’s $1.87 million.
That’s an increase of 19 percent over the course of 10 years, below the rate of inflation in that timeframe. Consider that from 2002 to 2012, the average purse increased by 43 percent.
In 2012, there were 19 events with purses below $2 million; this year there were 15.
Making cuts but losing money?
It’s not unusual for a player to make the cut on the LPGA and still lose money after paying her caddie and expenses for the week. Olson said many resort to using credit cards.
“Can you even imagine the pressure standing over a drive with OB right and water left thinking, I just put $4,000 on a credit card for this week,” said Olson. “That is not a sustainable way to play golf. There’s already enough pressure the way it is.”
Amy Olson chips to the fifth green during the second round of the Dana Open presented by Marathon at Highland Meadows Golf Club on September 02, 2022 in Sylvania, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
While the top half of the tour has never been richer, the bottom half remains pinched, despite each position on the money list improving. The range of purse sizes on tour has become so large, in fact, that in 2021, the LPGA transitioned to determining status based off the Race to the CME points list rather than the money list.
Why does the average purse matter? Because those are the fields that up-and-comers are getting into through Qualifying School and the Epson Tour. That’s where most players begin the dream, with purses that are $1.5 million. And while most of the top players coming from other countries have the financial backing and support from their national programs, American players who aren’t superstars are mostly on their own.
“If you make the cut and finish 50th or 60th,” said Cheyenne Knight, “you’re breaking even or still might be losing money.”
Life on the road ain’t cheap
As the nation struggles with inflation, women who live most of their year on the road are taking a significant hit. Dana Finkelstein said a plane ticket from Phoenix to Tampa that used to run $170 is now $370. She looked into flights on Tuesday, in case the Pelican moved to a Monday finish, and they were running $560. A weekly rental car that used to run $200 is now more than $300. She estimates most players who stay in a hotel – Finkelstein relies on host housing – have at least $3,000 a week in expenses after paying their caddie.
“And that’s on the cheap side,” she said.
Caroline Inglis, who currently ranks 99th on the CME points list and 98th on the money list ($164,798) estimates that she has spent six figures on her team and travel through 16 events.
“I just had a month off and have this one (Pelican), and then I’m going to have four months off,” said Inglis, referring to the LPGA’s 2023 schedule that begins with limited-field events. “I feel like I spent so much money this year, it’s unreal.”
Olson notes that the LPGA has about 200 active members and 150 who play a decent-sized schedule every year. Last year, the 100th player on the money list earned $128,647 and the 150th earned $28,305.
Stephanie Meadow says her expenses for the year typically range between $115,000 to $125,000, including what it costs to pay her team. That’s staying in average hotels and with a couple of host families.
“This is the best tour in the world, you’re practically top 100 in the world at what you do,” said Meadow, “and there’s not another job out there (in the top 100) that you wouldn’t be making a living enough to buy an average-sized house.”
Not to mention quality healthcare and retirement investments.
What’s the solution?
The Pelican announced a $3.25 million purse for next year’s event – renamed The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge – making it the highest purse for a non-major event outside of CME. The new JM Eagle LA Championship at Wilshire will offer a $3 million purse next year, double the money from 2022. The new Mizuho Americas Open hosted by Michelle Wie West will have a purse of $2.75 million.
(It’s worth noting, however, that this year the LPGA had both the Gainbridge LPGA and the Pelican LPGA for a total of $4,000,000. They’ve combined now into one event for a purse of $3,250,000.)
More premium events like these is the first goal, said LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. New events on the LPGA schedule must start with a minimum $2 million purse.
“We’re also looking at other opportunities,” she told Golfweek. “Is there a stipend at some event or a minimum that players make by getting into the field?”
This already happens at some of the majors, of course, where at the U.S. Women’s Open, those who missed the cut at Pine Needles made $8,000, double what was given last year.
“Listen, it’s a meritocracy,” said Marcoux Samaan. “It’s so hard to win out here and it’s so hard to make the cut, that we feel like those players should be significantly compensated for achieving that goal. But are there other ways that we can help players out?”
Minjee Lee poses with the trophy after winning the 77th U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club on June 5, 2022 in Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Last week, the DP World Tour announced that players would be guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 against their earnings next season, provided they make at least 15 appearances. The move comes amidst the ongoing threat of LIV Golf and its guaranteed payouts.
The PGA Tour announced a similar program back in August that guarantees $500,000 up front for rookies and those returning to the Tour. Everyone else who doesn’t meet the threshold at the season’s end will be paid the difference.
“If you look, we’re now the only main tour that isn’t offering some sort of compensation,” said Ashleigh Buhai. “It makes a huge difference, and we are the only spot that you’re not guaranteed money.”
When asked if the LPGA could provide a similar program, Marcoux Samaan said, “I think, again, we have to just look at where we are in the moment and look at what we can do. Our goal is to provide as much as we can to the players.”
Olson would like to see each player in an LPGA field be guaranteed $3,000 up front. Those who make the cut will earn at least an additional $4,000.
Where does that money come from?
One option, Olson believes, is to change the purse distribution. Currently, the winner at most LPGA events receives 15 percent of the purse. After that, six percent of the purse goes toward the tour’s operational costs.
That leaves 79 percent for everyone else who makes the cut. (The U.S. Women’s Open gave 18 percent of the winner and CME will give the winner roughly 29 percent.)
“I think we have to go down to 12 percent,” said Olson, “or take from that top 10 and be able to feed that into the bottom ranks.”
Top players have multiple sources of revenue, she notes. In addition to prize winnings, they get into limited-field events, are offered appearance fees on other tours, and more corporate sponsorship opportunities.
“I would say the top 30 have opportunities for great sponsorships,” said Olson. “Beyond that, I think it’s pretty iffy.”
Olson believes a change to the purse distribution could be a short-term solution until all LPGA tournaments are above $2.5 million.
A general view of the Race for the CME Globe Money Box on the 18th green prior to the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 14, 2018 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
If stipends are given out, Stacy Lewis would like to see some additional responsibilities be added so that players do more to help out events.
Lewis, a former No. 1, concedes that because of her early success, she never worried about money. On one hand, she said, it’s difficult to think about giving a stipend when players are competing for more money than ever before. But, on the other hand, it’s a top-heavy money list.
“I do think we need to look at our purse distribution,” said Lewis.
Karen Stupples knows what it’s like to win a major championship. But, prior to that, she also knew what it felt like to be down to her last $500. Stupples likes a model that encourages players to fight for their money. To grit it out. The way she sees it, the struggle is part of the process. Everyone has an opportunity to grow and improve.
“Part of playing professional golf, what you signed up for,” said Stupples, “is that you have to play well in order to make it.”
As Olson has canvased her peers on the subject, some top players have understandably shown resistance. “Play better” is a common refrain when it comes to money problems, and Olson believes there will always be about 20 people who are firmly against a change that would take away money from top finishers.
Count top American Nelly Korda among them.
“I feel like that would be a step back in women’s sports, lowering the prize money,” said Korda, pointing out that PGA Tour winners receive 18 percent of the purse.
Lydia Ko, however, said that while taking some money away from the winner sounds shocking, she understands why something like that might need to happen.
“I think we’re moving in the right trend of things,” said Ko, “but I do think it does probably need to be a little bit dispersed better.”
Three-time winner Gaby Lopez thrives when conditions are hard, when it feels like her back is against the wall.
“I like the challenge,” she said. “I also understand my peers, like they said, they need to make a living.”
Ryann O’Toole floated the idea that players get paid for participating in the pro-am. Others wondered if moving the cutline from 70 and ties to 60 or 65 and ties might help. Meadow, an accounting major, said she’d need to get out a spreadsheet to weigh the options.
“At the end of the day we’re entertainers,” said O’Toole, “but we sometimes don’t get paid for our entertainment.”
Olson has been ranked as high as seventh on the money list (2020) and as low as 119th (2016) and has seen many of her peers come and go over the years. One friend who walked away due to finances had credit card debt that took over five years to pay off.
A native of Oxbow, North Dakota, Olson especially has a soft spot for those who, like her, grew up in a small town with a short season. She’d like to see them have more of a fighting chance.
“We want to create a place where women can pursue their dream of professional golf,” said Olson, “and we don’t want to see that dream become a nightmare … where they have to spend the next five years recovering from their dream.”
After opening with a 7-under 64, Ryann O’Toole sits tied atop a crowded leaderboard.
Ryann O’Toole had a solo ninth-place finish in Portland a week ago. It was just her third top 10 this LPGA season. It was also the first tournament she played in a month.
A week later, after opening with a 7-under 64, O’Toole sits tied atop a crowded leaderboard at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
It sounds like the four weeks away from competition made for a nice reset.
“It just depends on where you are in life. Sometimes you’re just at a point where, ‘Hey, I got some personal stuff going on. I need to take some me time. Need to sort the brain out,'” she said.
“It’s hard to come out here and perform, especially if your mind is elsewhere. I was curious how that was going to be. I don’t like to usually take that many tournaments off, but sometimes it’s good. I guess it is showing itself now that it’s important.”
O’Toole is among six golfers tied for the lead after shooting 7-under rounds of 64, including Megan Khang, Yuka Saso, Lauren Coughlin from the early wave and later, Jeongeun Lee5 and Sei Young Kim, at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas. O’Toole was the only one of the six to par the par-5 18th hole; Coughlin was the only one to eagle it. The others all birdied it.
O’Toole did have six straight birdies on her front nine starting at No. 2 and had eight in all with just one bogey. Yet, after he round, she talked like she could’ve had more circles on her card.
“I definitely felt like I left a lot out there still,” she said after 18 holes of a 54-hole tournament. “Eight birdies, but I still felt like there was a ton left out there, especially on the back side.”
O’Toole, who hit all 18 greens, was among those in the early wave and she had a few ideas on how to fill the time Friday afternoon.
“Just going to do a cool-down practice, couple putts, hit some balls, and probably go check out Bentonville, get a tea somewhere, walk around. There is a lot to do here. Rogers, Arkansas is pretty fun. I do like coming here,” she said.
ESPN+ streaming coverage
Friday’s first round of TV coverage was tape-delayed on Golf Channel but the network will carry the second and final rounds.
In addition, for a second straight week, ESPN+ will have a “featured groups” coverage during both the morning and afternoon waves on all three tournament days.
