Amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a new opportunity has arisen. Numerous golfers, including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Jon Rahm, are now playing in both PGA Tour and LIV Golf events, greatly boosting their total career earnings.
The sport is undergoing foundational changes as the PGA-LIV merger lingers and NIL offers new sponsorship opportunities to college golfers.
But one constant has been Tiger Woods, who’s earned $185.7 million to remain the highest-paid professional golfer. Although he hasn’t won a major championship since 2019, Woods has earned at least $2 million more in career earnings than any other golfer.
He’s also earned the most from his 15 major championships, having made $28.2 million from them.
Rory Mcllroy is hot on Woods’ heels, remaining in second in career earnings but closing the gap from $11 million to $2 million. McIlroy is now at $183.6 million in career earnings. If he continues his hot start to the 2025 PGA season, he could pass him this summer.
Dustin Johnson is third with $165.9 million in career earnings but has earned the most from LIV with $52.1 million. Johnson announced his resignation from the PGA Tour in 2022 to compete in the LIV Golf Series full-time.
The two-time major champion winner will hope for a breakthrough in the merger talks between the PGA and LIV to be allowed to participate in PGA tour events again.
Only the top nine highest-paid professional golfers have made over $100 million in career earnings.
Scottie Scheffler, earning $114.7 million for fifth, made $63.2 million in prize money last year. His dominance as the number one ranked golfer has some questioning whether he’s to blame for golf’s slump in ratings, while others point the finger at the PGA-LIV drama.
Nine golfers from the LIV Golf series are among the highest-paid golfers in the world.
Ranking The Highest-Paid Golfers in the World
Here is the full list of the top 25 highest-paid professional golfers by their total career earnings between the PGA, LIV, and bonuses. The list was compiled using data from Spotrac.
- Updated: April 11, 2025
| Rank | Player | PGA & Majors Earnings | LIV Earnings | Total Earnings |
| 1 | Tiger Woods | $185.7 million | – | $185.7 million |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy | $183.6 million | – | $183.6 million |
| 3 | Dustin Johnson | $97 million | $53.5 million | $165.9 million |
| 4 | Phil Mickelson | $105.8 million | $9.1 million | $139.6 million |
| 5 | Scottie Scheffler | $114.7 million | – | $114.7 million |
| 6 | Brooks Koepka | $50.9 million | $42.3 million | $114.2 million |
| 7 | Jon Rahm | $78 million | $25.5 million | $112.9 million |
| 8 | Sergio Garcia | $56.9 million | $37 million | $105.5 million |
| 9 | Xander Schauffele | $101.7 million | – | $101.7 million |
| 10 | Justin Thomas | $99.1 million | – | $99.1 million |
| 11 | Jordan Spieth | $96.1 million | – | $96.1 million |
| 12 | Adam Scott | $87.95 million | – | $87.95 million |
| 13 | Jim Furyk | $86.6 million | – | $86.6 million |
| 14 | Cameron Smith | $74 million | – | $82.7 million |
| 15 | Justin Rose | $34.8 million | $41.2 million | $83.9 million |
| 16 | Vijay Singh | $82.7 million | – | $82.7 million |
| 17 | Bryson DeChambeau | $41.56 million | $29.4 million | $82.6 million |
| 18 | Patrick Cantlay | $81.7 million | – | $81.7 million |
| 19 | Jason Day | $80.6 million | – | $80.6 million |
| 20 | Patrick Reed | $42.5 million | $27.6 million | $77.4 million |
| 21 | Hideki Matsuyama | $74.2 million | – | $74.2 million |
| 22 | Matt Kuchar | $73.4 million | – | $73.4 million |
| 23 | Bubba Watson | $55.4 million | $8.3 million | $69.8 million |
| 24 | Rickie Fowler | $68.6 million | – | $68.6 million |
| 25 | Ernie Els | $66.7 million | – | $66.7 million |
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