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GOLF · 926 CAREERS

Golf prize money and career earnings

$9,977,279,554 paid out to 926 golfers between 1979-80 and 2026, ranked by career and split by where each cheque came from.

Every figure here is prize money. A tour card entitles a player to enter, and what they are paid follows where they finish, so a career total is the sum of 6,937 paid seasons rather than a wage bill. Rory McIlroy leads it on $215,894,606.

PAID OUT $9.98bn
RICHEST CAREER $215.9m
CAREERS RANKED 926
SEASONS HELD 47
PAID IN 2026 338

The twenty richest careers in golf

Career prize money, 1979-80 to 2026

11 careers over $100m

Rory McIlroy leads Scottie Scheffler by $3,563,527, which across two careers of over $212.3m is close enough that a single major would settle it. Rory McIlroy has taken $99,447,833 of his total in bonus money alone, which is more than the $33,751,609 the four majors have paid him and more than any other career on the list has won from any single source.

The golf money list

The hundred biggest careers, by prize money won

926 careers ranked

# Golfer Span Seasons Majors Bonus LIV Career
01 Rory McIlroy Northern Ireland 2008-09 to 2026 18 $33.8m $99.4m $215,894,606$215.9m
02 Scottie Scheffler United States 2017-18 to 2026 9 $26.3m $96.0m $212,331,079$212.3m
03 Jon Rahm Spain 2015-16 to 2026 11 $13.1m $34.7m $97.6m $187,818,329$187.8m
04 Dustin Johnson United States 2006-07 to 2026 20 $15.8m $21.5m $70.5m $167,966,068$168.0m
05 Tiger Woods United States 1995-96 to 2024 28 $28.2m $33.4m $154,444,958$154.4m
06 Phil Mickelson United States 1991-92 to 2026 35 $24.8m $9.1m $12.1m $117,955,686$118.0m
07 Xander Schauffele United States 2016-17 to 2026 10 $17.3m $48.3m $117,171,236$117.2m
08 Justin Thomas United States 2013-14 to 2026 13 $9.8m $37.4m $111,599,082$111.6m
09 Bryson DeChambeau United States 2015-16 to 2026 11 $14.4m $7.1m $64.9m $109,264,166$109.3m
10 Sergio Garcia Spain 1998-99 to 2026 28 $11.8m $1.8m $48.0m $104,999,971$105.0m
11 Joaquin Niemann Chile 2017-18 to 2026 9 $2.6m $1.4m $86.1m $104,220,511$104.2m
12 Brooks Koepka United States 2012-13 to 2026 14 $21.9m $7.5m $46.1m $98,959,080$99.0m
13 Jordan Spieth United States 2012-13 to 2026 14 $15.7m $29.5m $98,288,304$98.3m
14 Cameron Smith Australia 2014-15 to 2026 12 $9.0m $5.2m $56.2m $91,581,570$91.6m
15 Patrick Cantlay United States 2011-12 to 2026 14 $5.8m $29.1m $90,386,784$90.4m
16 Collin Morikawa United States 2018-19 to 2026 8 $10.8m $35.0m $86,327,067$86.3m
17 Justin Rose England 2000-01 to 2026 26 $18.0m $7.4m $85,976,119$86.0m
18 Patrick Reed United States 2010-11 to 2026 16 $9.9m $3.9m $40.7m $85,871,505$85.9m
19 Adam Scott Australia 1999-00 to 2026 27 $13.1m $12.2m $85,707,060$85.7m
20 Talor Gooch United States 2016-17 to 2026 10 $724k $75.3m $84,552,178$84.6m
21 Charles Howell III United States 1999-00 to 2026 27 $1.5m $2.0m $34.6m $78,825,255$78.8m
22 Hideki Matsuyama Japan 2012-13 to 2026 14 $9.2m $10.6m $77,656,190$77.7m
23 Viktor Hovland Norway 2018-19 to 2026 8 $7.3m $33.3m $76,574,673$76.6m
24 Jim Furyk United States 1992-93 to 2021-22 30 $10.1m $5.0m $76,509,675$76.5m
25 Jason Day Australia 2005-06 to 2026 20 $12.8m $9.0m $75,853,254$75.9m
26 Vijay Singh Fiji 1991-92 to 2026 31 $7.8m $3.9m $74,912,344$74.9m
27 Marc Leishman Australia 2008-09 to 2026 18 $3.8m $1.8m $37.0m $74,161,512$74.2m
28 Paul Casey England 2000-01 to 2026 26 $6.5m $4.9m $31.6m $73,152,246$73.2m
29 Rickie Fowler United States 2008-09 to 2026 18 $9.2m $13.7m $73,096,075$73.1m
30 Bubba Watson United States 2005-06 to 2026 21 $6.4m $7.3m $17.0m $72,697,266$72.7m
31 Matt Kuchar United States 2000-01 to 2026 26 $6.1m $6.7m $68,788,973$68.8m
32 Keegan Bradley United States 2008-09 to 2026 17 $5.7m $9.7m $68,036,961$68.0m
33 Tommy Fleetwood England 2014-15 to 2026 11 $9.9m $16.4m $66,217,442$66.2m
34 Tony Finau United States 2006-07 to 2026 13 $6.3m $16.8m $64,023,272$64.0m
35 Louis Oosthuizen South Africa 2007-08 to 2026 19 $10.0m $2.6m $31.8m $62,607,518$62.6m
36 Russell Henley United States 2012-13 to 2026 14 $6.4m $7.5m $60,082,346$60.1m
37 Wyndham Clark United States 2016-17 to 2026 10 $9.4m $19.0m $58,471,401$58.5m
38 Branden Grace South Africa 2008-09 to 2026 16 $3.0m $143k $43.2m $55,593,856$55.6m
39 Zach Johnson United States 2001-02 to 2026 24 $7.7m $4.7m $55,004,456$55.0m
40 Kevin Na United States 2002-03 to 2025 23 $2.3m $5.8m $11.2m $54,795,382$54.8m
41 Matthew Fitzpatrick England 2015-16 to 2026 11 $8.8m $10.3m $53,867,869$53.9m
42 Ernie Els South Africa 1990-91 to 2022-23 31 $13.5m $3.7m $53,210,447$53.2m
43 Abraham Ancer Mexico 2015-16 to 2026 11 $1.5m $3.4m $33.7m $52,406,956$52.4m
44 Brian Harman United States 2010-11 to 2026 16 $6.4m $6.3m $52,247,827$52.2m
45 Sungjae Im South Korea 2017-18 to 2026 9 $4.0m $14.5m $51,957,480$52.0m
46 Charl Schwartzel South Africa 2005-06 to 2026 21 $5.3m $676k $29.9m $51,681,189$51.7m
47 Sam Burns United States 2017-18 to 2026 9 $6.7m $9.3m $51,585,647$51.6m
48 Harris English United States 2010-11 to 2026 16 $6.4m $8.6m $51,505,933$51.5m
49 Davis Love III United States 1985-86 to 2021-22 36 $5.2m $6.0m $50,950,420$51.0m
50 Pat Perez United States 2000-01 to 2024 24 $1.0m $560k $21.1m $50,453,409$50.5m
51 Billy Horschel United States 2008-09 to 2026 18 $3.8m $7.6m $49,988,012$50.0m
52 Steve Stricker United States 1989-90 to 2022-23 32 $5.6m $4.4m $49,356,264$49.4m
53 Webb Simpson United States 2007-08 to 2026 19 $4.9m $2.5m $48,731,700$48.7m
54 Anirban Lahiri India 2011-12 to 2026 14 $579k $270k $38.5m $48,126,224$48.1m
55 Henrik Stenson Sweden 2004-05 to 2025 21 $9.2m $4.6m $11.0m $47,888,200$47.9m
56 Ian Poulter England 1999-00 to 2026 26 $5.5m $5.0m $13.4m $46,626,295$46.6m
57 Stewart Cink United States 1994-95 to 2024 30 $6.0m $2.4m $46,321,930$46.3m
58 Max Homa United States 2013-14 to 2026 11 $3.2m $14.7m $46,272,227$46.3m
59 Cameron Young United States 2021-22 to 2026 5 $8.2m $6.8m $45,779,156$45.8m
60 Brandt Snedeker United States 2003-04 to 2026 22 $4.4m $2.4m $45,641,211$45.6m
61 Lucas Glover United States 2000-01 to 2026 25 $3.3m $2.3m $45,329,369$45.3m
62 Jason Kokrak United States 2011-12 to 2026 15 $1.0m $2.2m $22.5m $45,266,038$45.3m
63 Graeme McDowell Northern Ireland 2001-02 to 2026 24 $4.6m $6.7m $18.1m $43,932,888$43.9m
64 Carlos Ortiz Mexico 2013-14 to 2026 13 $928k $160k $35.1m $43,858,601$43.9m
65 David Toms United States 1988-89 to 2018-19 28 $4.3m $1.9m $43,751,909$43.8m
66 Shane Lowry Ireland 2009-10 to 2026 15 $8.6m $11.0m $43,727,324$43.7m
67 Gary Woodland United States 2007-08 to 2026 19 $5.6m $3.1m $43,574,313$43.6m
68 Sepp Straka Austria 2018-19 to 2026 8 $2.6m $10.7m $43,349,170$43.3m
69 Luke Donald England 2000-01 to 2026 26 $3.5m $4.1m $41,792,190$41.8m
70 Lee Westwood England 1994-95 to 2026 31 $10.1m $1.7m $15.7m $41,345,898$41.3m
71 Peter Uihlein United States 2012-13 to 2026 12 $150k $37.2m $41,305,819$41.3m
72 Harold Varner III United States 2013-14 to 2026 12 $639k $238k $29.6m $40,408,551$40.4m
73 Si Woo Kim South Korea 2015-16 to 2026 11 $2.7m $236k $39,576,557$39.6m
74 Rory Sabbatini Slovakia 1998-99 to 2022-23 25 $1.2m $3.1m $39,188,971$39.2m
75 Chris Kirk United States 2007-08 to 2026 19 $2.3m $1.2m $37,137,436$37.1m
76 Charley Hoffman United States 1999-00 to 2026 24 $2.0m $1.3m $37,129,760$37.1m
77 Matt Jones Australia 2007-08 to 2025 18 $352k $256k $19.5m $37,081,136$37.1m
78 Dean Burmester South Africa 2015-16 to 2026 8 $977k $35.1m $36,785,143$36.8m
79 J.J. Spaun United States 2014-15 to 2026 11 $4.8m $5.7m $36,376,630$36.4m
80 Justin Leonard United States 1993-94 to 2025 25 $4.0m $2.4m $36,346,229$36.3m
81 Corey Conners Canada 2017-18 to 2026 9 $4.2m $2.8m $36,227,666$36.2m
82 Hunter Mahan United States 2002-03 to 2020-21 18 $3.1m $3.8m $35,628,159$35.6m
83 Ryan Moore United States 2004-05 to 2024 20 $2.0m $958k $35,475,595$35.5m
84 Cameron Tringale United States 2008-09 to 2026 18 $522k $969k $17.1m $35,444,383$35.4m
85 Ryan Palmer United States 2001-02 to 2025 23 $1.2m $1.5m $35,365,272$35.4m
86 Kevin Kisner United States 2008-09 to 2025 16 $2.3m $5.4m $34,882,107$34.9m
87 Sahith Theegala United States 2020-21 to 2026 6 $1.9m $11.5m $34,690,980$34.7m
88 Daniel Berger United States 2013-14 to 2026 12 $2.5m $1.9m $34,627,209$34.6m
89 K.J. Choi South Korea 1998-99 to 2020-21 23 $3.1m $1.8m $34,586,721$34.6m
90 Retief Goosen South Africa 1994-95 to 2020-21 25 $7.2m $2.4m $33,664,554$33.7m
91 Ludvig Aberg Sweden 2022-23 to 2026 4 $5.1m $5.5m $33,053,785$33.1m
92 Bill Haas United States 2003-04 to 2026 23 $2.0m $1.5m $32,516,626$32.5m
93 Fred Couples United States 1980-81 to 2022-23 38 $4.6m $8.9m $32,055,351$32.1m
94 Padraig Harrington Ireland 1995-96 to 2026 30 $9.3m $5.5m $32,051,212$32.1m
95 Nick Watney United States 2002-03 to 2025 22 $1.6m $2.6m $31,829,768$31.8m
96 Geoff Ogilvy Australia 2000-01 to 2022-23 19 $3.9m $1.1m $31,641,276$31.6m
97 Jerry Kelly United States 1994-95 to 2022-23 27 $1.3m $2.0m $31,152,126$31.2m
98 Stuart Appleby Australia 1995-96 to 2018-19 24 $2.5m $521k $30,349,186$30.3m
99 Jason Dufner United States 2003-04 to 2025 20 $4.5m $2.1m $29,801,901$29.8m
100 Mike Weir Canada 1992-93 to 2022-23 27 $4.4m $1.4m $29,409,329$29.4m

A hundredth place of $29,409,329 is what it costs to be in the top hundred of a sport that has handed over $9.98bn. 50 careers have passed $50m and 508 have passed $1m, so the list has a long tail and all 926 of them are ranked in full.

Where a golf cheque comes from

Every dollar on this page, by what paid it

Tour purses 66.6%

  • Tour purses 66.6%
  • The four majors 9.4%
  • Bonus pools 10.5%
  • LIV Golf 13.5%
Where it came from What it is Share Paid out
Tour purses Every ordinary week on tour, paid on the finishing position 66.6% $6,643,555,806$6.64bn
LIV Golf A closed roster paid at every event since 2021-22, team money included 13.5% $1,348,613,727$1.35bn
Bonus pools The FedEx Cup and what came before it, paid for a season rather than a week 10.5% $1,050,067,617$1.05bn
The four majors The Masters, the PGA, the US Open and the Open Championship 9.4% $935,042,459$935.0m

The bonus slice is bigger than the four majors put together, which is the least intuitive figure on this page. A major is four days once a year and the winner takes about a fifth of its purse, while a bonus pool is one cheque written at the end of a season to a player who may not have won anything at all.

What the sport pays out each season

Every golfer of every year added together

47 seasons

The last five seasons paid out $4,526,798,415 between them, against $5,450,481,139 across the 42 seasons before them. 2022-23 is the biggest single season on record at $1,119,972,649. The step late in the chart is 2021-22: bonus money went from $98.8m to $175.9m in one season, and LIV Golf wrote its first cheques in the same year.

Season Golfers paid Tour purses Majors Bonus LIV Paid out
2026 338 $365.1m $80.4m $191.3m $636,851,326$636.9m
2025 382 $491.2m $75.8m $82.4m $282.5m $931,923,349$931.9m
2024 415 $460.4m $74.2m $163.9m $281.5m $979,944,175$979.9m
2022-23 444 $537.0m $68.7m $183.5m $330.8m $1,119,972,649$1.12bn
2021-22 406 $361.3m $58.4m $175.9m $262.5m $858,106,916$858.1m
2020-21 343 $341.4m $45.2m $98.8m $485,280,256$485.3m
2019-20 300 $250.7m $10.7m $66.5m $327,923,395$327.9m
2018-19 344 $293.1m $42.9m $55.1m $391,083,881$391.1m
2017-18 348 $312.7m $42.1m $7.2m $362,022,945$362.0m
2016-17 345 $292.4m $40.7m $13.4m $346,543,398$346.5m
2015-16 284 $270.0m $36.3m $7.6m $313,882,538$313.9m
2014-15 275 $263.1m $37.1m $8.9m $309,071,480$309.1m
2013-14 251 $246.3m $32.5m $13.8m $292,580,646$292.6m
2012-13 228 $210.6m $29.0m $2.6m $242,224,817$242.2m
2011-12 244 $219.2m $26.8m $21.3m $267,311,526$267.3m
2010-11 215 $207.3m $25.0m $26.2m $258,472,972$258.5m
2009-10 195 $189.9m $23.7m $19.4m $233,017,425$233.0m
2008-09 192 $187.3m $21.5m $19.9m $228,760,200$228.8m
2007-08 162 $167.6m $21.9m $13.1m $202,573,242$202.6m
2006-07 149 $164.1m $21.8m $8.3m $194,108,833$194.1m
2005-06 148 $146.7m $19.9m $8.9m $175,418,341$175.4m
2004-05 128 $134.5m $15.4m $6.9m $156,885,337$156.9m
2003-04 116 $116.3m $16.0m $9.4m $141,670,892$141.7m
2002-03 96 $98.9m $13.3m $6.8m $119,008,453$119.0m
2001-02 86 $77.3m $13.0m $5.3m $95,609,449$95.6m
2000-01 76 $61.6m $8.6m $4.5m $74,723,423$74.7m
1999-00 62 $46.8m $9.6m $4.9m $61,219,477$61.2m
1998-99 60 $38.2m $6.4m $2.2m $46,876,431$46.9m
1997-98 48 $22.7m $3.7m $2.3m $28,724,432$28.7m
1996-97 43 $15.1m $4.5m $3.5m $23,098,598$23.1m
1995-96 40 $14.8m $2.4m $2.1m $19,328,392$19.3m

Every season with 40 golfers or more has a page of its own, which is 31 of the 47 the archive holds.

The three eras of golf money

Careers grouped by the middle of the career, not by the start

3 eras

Era Careers Majors share Bonus share Top earner Prize money
The 2020s 553 9.1% 13.1% Scottie Scheffler $4,030,586,981$4.03bn
The 2010s 320 9.1% 9.3% Rory McIlroy $4,861,763,987$4.86bn
The 2000s 53 11.7% 6.3% Phil Mickelson $1,084,928,586$1.08bn

A career sits in the era its midpoint falls in, so a player who started in 1998 and finished in 2014 is a golfer of the 2000s rather than of both.

The twelve richest countries

Golf prize money won by a country's players

Top three hold 71.5%

United States has taken 59.6% of all the prize money on record, across 470 golfers. That is the tour rather than the golf: the richest circuit in the sport is played there, and a home schedule is worth more than a passport.

Who is still being paid

The biggest careers with money in the 2026 season

338 golfers paid

# Golfer First paid Seasons Career
01 Rory McIlroy Northern Ireland 2008-09 18 $215,894,606$215.9m
02 Scottie Scheffler United States 2017-18 9 $212,331,079$212.3m
03 Jon Rahm Spain 2015-16 11 $187,818,329$187.8m
04 Dustin Johnson United States 2006-07 20 $167,966,068$168.0m
05 Phil Mickelson United States 1991-92 35 $117,955,686$118.0m
06 Xander Schauffele United States 2016-17 10 $117,171,236$117.2m
07 Justin Thomas United States 2013-14 13 $111,599,082$111.6m
08 Bryson DeChambeau United States 2015-16 11 $109,264,166$109.3m
09 Sergio Garcia Spain 1998-99 28 $104,999,971$105.0m
10 Joaquin Niemann Chile 2017-18 9 $104,220,511$104.2m
11 Brooks Koepka United States 2012-13 14 $98,959,080$99.0m
12 Jordan Spieth United States 2012-13 14 $98,288,304$98.3m
13 Cameron Smith Australia 2014-15 12 $91,581,570$91.6m
14 Patrick Cantlay United States 2011-12 14 $90,386,784$90.4m
15 Collin Morikawa United States 2018-19 8 $86,327,067$86.3m
16 Justin Rose England 2000-01 26 $85,976,119$86.0m
17 Patrick Reed United States 2010-11 16 $85,871,505$85.9m
18 Adam Scott Australia 1999-00 27 $85,707,060$85.7m
19 Talor Gooch United States 2016-17 10 $84,552,178$84.6m
20 Charles Howell III United States 1999-00 27 $78,825,255$78.8m

338 of the 926 careers on this list have money in the 2026 season, and between them they hold 68.9% of everything golf has ever paid out. A sport whose current field owns that much of its own history is a sport whose purses went up, not one whose players got better.

Frequently asked questions

Who has won the most prize money in golf?

Rory McIlroy, $215,894,606 across 18 seasons from 2008-09 to 2026. Scottie Scheffler is second on $212,331,079.

How much prize money has golf paid out?

$9,977,279,554 to the 926 careers on this list, between 1979-80 and 2026. 2022-23 is the biggest single season at $1,119,972,649.

Where does a golfer earn their prize money?

Four places. Ordinary tour weeks pay 66.6% of everything on this page, LIV Golf 13.5%, bonus pools 10.5% and the four majors 9.4%.

Do golfers get a salary?

Not for playing a tour event. A card entitles a player to enter and the money follows the finish, so a career total here is the sum of where somebody finished rather than a wage. Endorsements and appearance deals are separate and are not in these figures.

How many golfers have won over $10m in prize money?

248 of the 926 careers on this list. 11 have passed $100m and 508 have passed $1m.

Which country has won the most golf prize money?

United States, $5,945,054,348 across 470 golfers. The top three countries hold 71.5% of everything the sport has paid out, out of 47 that have been paid at all.

What is the biggest single season anybody has had?

Scottie Scheffler in 2024, $71,228,358. A season that size is a bonus pool rather than a run of finishes: the FedEx Cup pays its winner more for one season than most careers on this list are worth.

Where to next

The careers, the seasons, the eras and the countries

The all-time money list · What the majors pay · Bonus money · LIV Golf · By country