Forbes list reveals astonishing golf earnings

Four times as many golfers have made the top 50 of the Forbes Sports List this year compared to 2022, while five LIV golfers broke into the top 20.

From the list of international athletes, the number of golfers raking in mouthwatering sums of cash has risen from three to 12 in the last year.

However, the majority of the golf stars on the list are plying their trade on Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed league, with five in the top 20 and two ranked slightly lower.

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Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson even cracked the top ten of the highest-paid athletes list, ranking six and seven, respectively.

Two-time major champion Johnson, earned a staggering $107 million in the last 12 months, while 52-year-old Mickelson’s earnings were just $1 million less.

Massive sign-on fees and pumped-up prize purses mean the LIV contingent stretch further down the list, too.

Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau round out the top 20, with earnings of $73 million, $72 million, and $69 million, respectively.

Only Rory McIlroy’s $80.8 million and Tiger Woods’ $75.1 million in earnings gave the PGA Tour some top 20 representation, while recent Masters champion Jon Rahm only ranked 28th.

Norman has made clear the ‘generational wealth’ available from joining his breakaway tour and, as a result, even Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia, who combine for no wins in the last year, are on the renowned list.

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In between Reed at 32nd and Garcia at 46th, the PGA Tour’s Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler sit on just over $47 million in earnings, ranked 43rd and 45th, respectively.

Overall, the top 50 of the business magazine’s annual rich list is almost made up of more golfers than athletes playing any other sports

According to Forbes’ elite financial rankings, golf’s 12 representatives can only be matched by the same number of NFL players, while basketball stars account for 15 of the top 50 highest earners.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.