No Gulbis in the GD 50?

The Golf Digest 50, the annual compensation compilation by Ron Sirak, drew this question:

__Dear Editor: I read the Golf Digest 50 and was surprised I didn't see Natalie Gulbis. I see her more in advertisements than some of the other golfers on the list and figured she would've been among the top 50.

John Gaughan>

Fairfield, OH >

__

Ron replies:

While Natalie has a lot of deals and earns well over seven figures off the golf course she is hurt by two factors: Lower endorsement fees paid to women compared to men, and lower purses on the LPGA compared to the PGA Tour. Gulbis won only $266,000 on the golf course last year, which means she would have needed to make more than $4 million in off-course money to make the GD 50. Among the women, only Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie earned that kind of endorsement money in 2008. Lorena Ochoa will likely join them this year.

So please, buy a Natalie Gulbis calendar now.

--Bob Carney