Five golfers in Forbes highest paid athletes list

Only five golfers feature in Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest paid athletes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Tiger Woods, who has topped this list many times in the past, is the highest of those.

With combined earnings of $43.3m over the last year – $1.3m in on-course earnings, $42m in endorsements – former world No.1 Woods ranks 16th, sandwiched between boxer Canelo Alvarez ($44.5m) and American football star Drew Brees ($42.9m).

Phil Mickelson is the next highest golfer in 22nd place ($41.3m, $4.3m/$37m), one spot ahead of reigning Open champion Jordan Spieth ($41.2m, $11.2m/$30m).

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In 26th place, Rory McIlroy is the next highest golfer. The four-time major winner has banked $37.5m over the last year, including $3.7m in on-course earnings and $34m in endorsements.

Current world No.1 Justin Thomas rounds out the golf contingent on the list in 66th place. His $26m in earnings comprises $21m on the course and approximately $5m off it.

The ranking is topped this year by boxer Floyd Mayweather, above. Appropriately nicknamed ‘Money’, Mayweather made $285m last year – more than two-and-a-half times the earnings of the second athlete on the list, footballer Lionel Messi.

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