The article below was written by Matt Chivers of National Club Golfer.
Tiger Woods was estimated to be golf’s first billionaire in 2022. In fact, only LeBron James and Michael Jordan of the basketball world could say they were worth nine digits at the time.
15 majors and 82 PGA Tour wins plus the manner in which he completed them saw him become rather popular and wealthy. A Nike deal for over two decades and several other endorsements helped too.
Woods is arguably the best golfer ever, with Jack Nicklaus being his opposition in this debate. But there is no debate on who has had and still has the greatest influence over the sport.
His presence is still felt in the majors and in the boardrooms as Woods helps the PGA Tour navigate financial warfare with the Saudi group that owns LIV Golf, the PGA Tour’s rival league.
But it is conceivable there would be no demand to watch golfers, to pay golfers and to pay to see golfers without Woods. He was the original needle mover and this is why he is a billionaire. But what about today’s crop of stars? How much are the wealthiest players worth in 2024?
The LIV Golf League paid mammoth fees to attract players such as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. In reaction to that, the PGA Tour increased its purses to nail down what is left of its own roster. Players on both sides of the fence have been healthily compensated as a result.
With this in mind, let’s run down the highest-paid golfers in 2024 and discover if any of them are approaching the billion-dollar benchmark that Woods has set in recent years. Back in June, this is who Forbes Magazine had in the top 10:
Highest paid golfers
1. Jon Rahm
2024 earnings: $218 million
Jon Rahm joined the LIV Golf League in December 2023 for a reported figure above $500 million. The two-time major champion has won once on the breakaway tour and in his PGA Tour days, he won 11 times and earned over $52 million. Reports suggest the sign-up fee wasn’t given to Rahm in full initially, which factors into his earnings figure.
2. Rory McIlroy
2024 earnings: $83 million
Rory McIlroy has been a cash machine since joining the PGA Tour in 2010. This year, he has won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship for a fourth time.
With longstanding partners like Nike, TaylorMade, Omega and Optum, McIlroy maintained another huge earnings figure this year both on and off the course.
3. Tiger Woods
2024 earnings: $67 million
Despite only playing five times in 2024, Tiger Woods has still earned nearly $70 million according to Forbes. The 48-year-old started his new clothing brand Sun Day Red in February after splitting with Nike after 27 years.
4. Scottie Scheffler
2024 earnings: $61 million
What Scottie Scheffler hasn’t won in 2024 isn’t worth winning. The World No.1 ticked off the Masters, the Players, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial, the Travelers, and the Tour Championship.
5. Cameron Smith
2024 earnings: $47 million
Cameron Smith allegedly banked $100 million for joining LIV Golf in 2022, shortly after winning The Open at the home of golf. He has won a little under $40 million while flying the flag of Australia with Commissioner Greg Norman, having already won just short of $30 million on the PGA Tour.
6. Bryson DeChambeau
2024 earnings: $44 million
Like Smith, Bryson DeChambeau was allegedly given nine figures to join the Saudi-funded league in 2022. His earnings on the new tour where he captains Crushers GC will shortly surpass the $30 million mark.
Now a double US Open-winning champion from Pinehurst, DeChambeau’s YouTube channel has skyrocketed in popularity, reaching well more than 1 million subscribers.
7. Brooks Koepka
2024 earnings: $43 million
Five-time major-winning beast Brooks Koepka admitted he received at least $100 million for joining LIV Golf. He won his most recent major at the 2023 PGA Championship and has accumulated over $30 million in earnings since leaving the PGA Tour.
Koepka has also maintained lucrative partnerships with Nike and Srixon.
8. Viktor Hovland
2024 earnings: $40 million
Viktor Hovland found the keys to the treasure chest at the end of last season when he won the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. He won the $18 million FedEx Cup bonus and has just under $30 million in prize money earnings.
9. Phil Mickelson
2024 earnings: $38 million
Phil Mickelson did follow Tiger Woods past the billion-dollar mark in his golf career, but reportedly lost large chunks of this through gambling. Nonetheless, Lefty was reportedly given $200 million to become the face of LIV Golf back at the very start in 2022.
Mickelson won just over $96 million on the PGA Tour and although his LIV career hasn’t been as fruitful, this golf icon is among the wealthiest players in 2024 and essentially of any year.
10. Dustin Johnson
2024 earnings: $37 million
Since the first LIV Golf event in June 2022, Dustin Johnson and Talor Gooch alternate in the list of the players who have earned the most money in the new league. With over $50 million in earnings with LIV and over $70 million on the PGA Tour, DJ still keeps his place as one of the highest-paid players in 2024.
