A caddie is happiest whenever a golfer lifts a trophy, seeing that their hard work as a team has paid off and the results will appear in their bank account. A caddie not only helps the player carry the bag and conduct accurate course and shot analysis but also offers the much-needed emotional support to help the golfer wade through tough phases.
In terms of remuneration, caddies usually receive weekly paychecks from players to cover costs like airfare, hotel, rental car, and food. Additionally, they receive a percentage of winnings when the player makes the cut, estimated to be 10% for a win, 7% for a top-10, and 5% for the rest. Nonetheless, each player-caddie relationship is unique, and below, we look at the top caddies who have cashed big in 2024 so far.
Top Earning Caddies So Far This Year
Ted Scott – Scottie Scheffler’s Caddie
Scheffler has been on fire in 2024, with six wins already in his bag. The trophies include the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship (March), the Masters Tournament and the RBC Heritage (April), and the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship (June). With his performances this year, he has earned a staggering $27,696,858, and if you were to factor in a ten percent cut for Scott, that would be $2,769,685!
Harry Diamond – Rory McIlroy’s Caddie
Although McIlroy narrowly missed to clinch his fifth major title at the 2024 U.S. Open, his pockets are fairing well this season, as are his caddie Harry Diamond’s. At the time of writing, he is currently leading with 2,964 Race to Dubai Points on the DP World Tour, where he defended the Hero Dubai Desert Classic title in January. On the PGA TOUR, the golfer ranks third on the Money List with $10,034,665 in earnings, and Harry has enjoyed a substantial slice of that cake.
Austin Kaiser – Xander Schauffele’s Caddie
Xander Schauffele and his Caddie, Austin Kaiser, became good friends over a decade ago while playing for the San Diego State Aztecs collegiate golf team, and they have been inseparable ever since. In 2024, their player-caddie partnership has paid off, with Schauffele clinching the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in May. The golfer has also risen to position two in the PGA TOUR Money List at $12,636,360, meaning Kaiser may be over a million dollars richer this year alone!
Gary Matthews – Joaquin Niemann’s Caddie
The LIV Golf Series is renowned for its deep Saudi-injected cash reserves, and Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann is currently leading the league’s money list this season with $12,039,500. The Chilean golfer’s two wins this year include LIV Golf Mayakoba in February and Jeddah in March, which have seen his caddie Gary Matthews equally smile to the bank. Niemann also ranks 7th in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai Points with 1,137.23.