PGA vs. LPGA short game

[tdiii]

I recall reading that PGA tour professionals' short games are far better than that of LPGA players.  This came up again in a discussion with a friend of mine who asserted that the LPGA players' short game was just as good or better than PGA players'.  Does anyone know for sure and, if so, can you point me to definitive statistics on the point? 

It would seem the players would be able to practice equally, so if PGA players are better, what is the explanation?  Maybe strength contributes to short game prowess more than seems obvious? 

Did a search on the forum and it didn't pop up already, so my apologies if this has been discussed ad nauseum in the past. 

[Patch]

I don't have a real answer, but my guess would be the guys are stronger and can get closer to the pin out trouble shots than the girls can. Closer equals fewer putts. 

Now, I would probably pay to watch the best of the best from both leagues, take on each other in a short game tournament. 

I was a regular for a while watching the girls play the boys in their 3 tour tournament.  The girls actually won some of those matches. 

[iacas]

LPGA Tour players are not as good as PGA Tour players. Not at the top end, not in the middle, and definitely not anywhere at the bottom.

Why? Three things…

• There's more money involved for guys, and thus a lot more competition. They get better coaching, they are a smaller percentage of the top players who play, and you're not truly comparing equals: the men are the top 0.0001% of male golfers, the women are the top 0.01% (I'm making the numbers up but you should get the point).
• Men are capable of using speed more than women are capable (or willing) to use speed with the short game. Pitches require speed. Bunker shots require speed. Spinners require speed.
• Men compete against other guys from early on, playing putting and chipping games on the putting green. They learn to experiment a little more, and they build a better feel and library of shots.

The first and the third are relevant to both putting and the short game. The middle is mostly the short game.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/putting-matthew-rudy (Though, be wary of "putts per round" type numbers: the distances from the hole may be different, the green speeds are different, the # of GIR may be different, etc.)

[NJpatbee]

Interesting Golf Digest article on ladies’ putting.  I enjoy watching some of the LPGA events and have always wondered why their putting is noticeably not as sharp as the guys on the PGA.