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Many Surprises Among the Top-50 Earners in Golf in 2016

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We’ve come a long way from the days of Walter Hagen, when pros weren’t even allowed in the clubhouse at tour stops… or even Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, when touring pros were still club pros when not on Tour. Such was the way the game paid until the television era. It’s not just a matter of adjusting for today’s dollars; those guys made peanuts on course.

Cruising along in Tiger Woods’ wide wake, today’s top pros can not only stack serious cash on course, but also ink lucrative endorsement deals that the Harry Vardons and James Braids of golf history could never have fathomed.

Golf Digest put together its annual rundown of the game’s top earners, which includes on-course income and an estimate of off-course earnings. Here are some highlights, and you can check out the full article here.

At number 50…well, what would you guess the No. 50 earner pocketed? It’s Padraig Harrington at more than $5 million.

World No. 1 Lydia Ko is 44th at $5.9 million, earning more off course ($3.25 million) than on ($2.69 million).

Davis Love III (No. 38) earned $6 million off the course in 2016.

Martin Kaymer (No. 35) plays on the European Tour primarily and makes six times as much off course ($6 million) as on ($1.78 million).

Miguel Angel Jimenez (No. 32) doesn’t just look like he lives the good life, he can afford to, grossing nearly $8 million last year.

Not surprisingly, few golfers inside the top-30 earned more on course than off.

Colin Montgomerie (No. 20) earned $7.5 million off the course last year.

At No. 19, Greg Norman earned $10 million off course. A little surprising it wasn’t more given the range of his business interests.

Jack Nicklaus (No. 6) and Arnold Palmer (No. 2) combined for more than $60 million in earnings.

Phil Mickelson ($33.5 million) and Tiger Woods ($34.6 million) earned nearly the same amount off course.

Rory McIlroy (No. 1) earned $17.5 million on course. He earned nearly twice that amount off ($32 million).  

Again: Full article here 

And here are Golf Digest’s top 10 earners

10. Gary Player: $15 million total
9. Adam Scott: $15 million total
8. Jason Day: $19.5 million total
7. Dustin Johnson: $19.7 million total
6. Jack Nicklaus: $20 million total
5. Jordan Spieth: $30.4 million total
4. Tiger Woods: $34.6 million total
3. Phil Mickelson: $37.7 million total
2. Arnold Palmer: $40 million total
1. Rory McIlroy: $49.5 million total

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Messico 9

    Feb 13, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    Spieth will get to number 4 this year….
    After he starts charging for autographs

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Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

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GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

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Photos from the 2026 Truist Championship

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GolfWRX is on site this week for the Truist Championship from Quail Hollow Club.

While Titleist’s tour seeding of its new GTS300 mini driver has grabbed early headlines this week, there’s plenty more to see from North Carolina.

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Photos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship

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GolfWRX Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, is on site in Florida for the PGA Tour’s return to Doral at the 2026 Cadillac Championship.

While the star of the show is no doubt Justin Rose’s new McLaren irons, there’s plenty more to see from the Sunshine State.

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