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A document published by the PGA Tour has predicted huge prize money increases for the game’s top stars.
Tour officials circulated the file, seen by Golf Digest, to members estimating what they could earn based on a year-on-year growth projection.
Predicting an annual increase of 4%, and taking into account projected rises in the FedEx Cup, ComCast top ten and Player Impact Program, the tour claims players could earn vast sums over the next 20 years.
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One of the methods the tour used to highlight its projections was using the examples of top stars if their careers had begun in the 2022/23 season.
Former US Open champion Jim Furyk has had a lengthy career at the top level, earning $71.5 million. But if he had begun life on tour next season, his earnings would have broken the $620 million barrier.
Rory McIlroy would be on $373 million, while Jordan Spieth would have made $240 million. LIV Golf rebels Charles Howell III and Pat Perez would have earned upwards of $150 million and $87 million respectively.
The document also claims the controversial Player Impact Program (PIP) could rise to $100 million by 2040.
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“We wanted to give our players, particularly our young players who are starting out, a better idea of how much money they will be able to earn by playing on the PGA Tour – which does not include the player’s endorsements or other off-course earnings,” one tour executive said.
“Our bonus payments have outpaced our prize money in growth in the past few years, and we have focused our efforts on boosting those.”
Earlier this year the tour announced it would boost the purses of a number of events, including the PLAYERS, Memorial and Arnold Palmer Invitational.
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