Modern golf with 18 holes began in 1500th century Scotland. By the late 19th century golf had spread across the UK, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. It is not a coincidence that golf has become a popular international sport. Unlike many other sports, golf can be practiced by people of all ages and at various skill levels. Furthermore, golf also has a strong social dimension that connects people of varied backgrounds.
Due to its wide global appeal, golf has attracted considerable flows of money at prestigious international competitions. It is therefore unsurprising that the world’s most successful golfers have become very wealthy individuals. Join as below as we explore some of the highest paid golf players. As you will discover below, the list with the highest earning golfers is dominated by U.S. star players.
Dustin Johnson, United States
American-born Dustin Johnson ranks among the top golf players in the world. Johnson who lives in Florida earned a staggering $111 million in 2023. His immense skills have paved the path towards many tournament victories worldwide including the 2020 Masters and 2016 US Open. Johnson succeeded in holding the world no. 1 position for 135 full weeks, constituting the third-longest period in golf history after the legendary players Tiger Woods and Greg Norman.
Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland
It is not a coincidence that Rory McIlroy ranks as one of the favorites in the Masters odds. Hailing from Northern Ireland, McIlroy has established himself as one of the leading contemporary golfers in Europe and the world. He became the youngest golfer ever on the European Tour to secure 10 million Euro in career earnings. In 2023, McIlroy earned a whopping $80 million from both on course and off course activities. The European star’s victory in the FedEx Cup championship secured him a handsome check worth $18 million.
Tiger Woods, United States
Tiger Woods has already secured a place in the history books as one of the best and most successful golf players of all times. His achievements speak for themselves. The American megastar has claimed no less than 15 Major Championship titles. In addition, his impressive career victories also include 82 PGA Tour titles. Woods reportedly became the second sportsman to accumulate a wealth of one billion dollars. In 2023 alone, Woods earned $75 million. Money is no longer an issue for the American golf legend who reportedly turned down a LIV Golf $800 million offer. Together with McIlroy Woods established the tech-driven venture TMRW Sports with a vision of eventually creating a new gold league.
Phil Mickelson, United States
Philip “Phil” Mickelson is born in California and has ranked among the world’s top 50 golf players for the past 25 years. Aged almost 51, Mickelson made history with his 2021 PGA Championship victory when he became the oldest major championship winner in the history of golf. The American veteran player plays left-handed, earning him the nickname Lefty. He was inducted into the World Golf of Fame already in 2012. Mickelson is still going strong and earned $107 million in 2023, only bested by his younger rival Dustin Johnson.
Brooks Koepka, United States
Brooks Koepka was born in Florida and ranks among the most successful players in the United States and beyond. In 2018, Koepka rose to the world number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking and succeeded in keeping this position for 47 weeks. Koepka has to date won 5 major championships, including 2 U.S. Open and 3 PGA Championship. In 2023, the American won an impressive $77 million from on course and off course activities. While Koepka is still only in his early 30s, he has already noted 19 professional wins during his career.
Cameron Smith, Australia
Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, Cameron “Cam” Smith was reportedly introduced to golf already as a two-year-old at a local golf course. In 2022, the 29-year-old Ausie climbed to the number two spot in the world gold ranking. The same year Smith won his first major championship, the Open Championship. Currently established among the best players in the world, the Australian has already noted 12 professional wins with likely many more years at the top of international golf. Smith earned an impressive $76 million in 2023.
Bryson DeChambeau, United States
The 30-year-old native Californian Bryson Dechambeau has in recent years climbed to the top in international golf. He won the U.S. Open in 2020 and has already secured 12 professional wins in his burgeoning career. In March 2021, the American rose to the fourth spot in the world ranking in 2021. While DeChambeau likely still has many years ahead of him in professional golf, he is already financially independent. In 2023, the American won $76 million, placing him among the top 10 highest paid golfers worldwide.
Conclusion
Golf has become a very popular international sport that can be practices by people of various age and skill levels. Golf has also become a big money industry with great earning potential for the best players. The American star Dustin Johnson was the top golf earner in 2023 with an impressive $111 million. Other top ten golf earners include Tiger Woods, Rory McllRoy, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka and Bryson Dechambeau.
