NAPLES, Fla. — Before Angel Yin took any questions from the press on Thursday at the CME Group Tour Championship, she had her manager run to get her shades. Yin has an endorsement with a South Korean sunglasses company and wanted to make sure they were in the camera shot.
For a while, sponsorships were hard to come by for the always-entertaining Yin. She’d gone four years without a logo, and while she felt desperate about it at times, made the best of the situation. When Yin won the Aon Risk Reward Challenge at the end of 2023, she took home a $1 million bonus check.
This week, she could leave Naples with a record $4 million winner’s prize.
“It got my freedom,” said Yin of how last year’s seven-figure check changed her life. “Allowed me to hire people that I want, add more members to my team this year.”
Yin opened with a 7-under 65 at Tiburon Golf Club to trail leader Narin An by one stroke. LPGA Hall of Fame member Lydia Ko holds a share of fifth after an opening 67. No. 1 Nelly Korda, who won her seventh title last week, opened with an even-par 72.
Bailey Tardy remembers earning $30,000 for winning on the Epson Tour three years ago and thinking, “Wow, I’m set.”
“Then you kind of see how quickly the money depletes when you’re traveling on the road so much,” she said.
Bailey Tardy of the United States is presented the Rolex First Time Winner’s Award during the 2024 LPGA Rolex Players Awards at Tiburon Golf Club on November 20, 2024 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Fast forward to January 2024 when Tardy bought a house.
“I’d never had rent more than $1,000,” she said. “My mortgage is like $2,000 and I was really stressed about – not how I was going to pay for it – but managing my money on the road and then also being able to pay for my mortgage.”
Winning in March of this year took care of that when she earned $330,000 at the Blue Bay LPGA. She set aside her mortgage and utilities for the year and felt the financial stress lift away.
More money than three of the men’s majors
Imagine then, what $4 million could do. The runner-up this week earns $1 million and last place is guaranteed $55,000 of the $11 million purse.
“This $4 million prize is bigger than three out of the four men’s majors,” said LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, “and it’s what our players deserve. We’re super proud that we’re here.”
Lexi Thompson’s first big check came early. She was only 16…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golfweek…