Golf is renowned for marrying tradition with lucrative opportunities, with top pros amassing fortunes through tournament winnings, endorsements, sponsorships, and business ventures. Outfits like LIV Golf have stirred the sport’s financial pot, offering record-breaking payouts and helping golfers secure immense wealth. In 2024, the global golf industry continued to thrive, with the PGA TOUR also offering lucrative payouts for tournaments such as The Players Championship, which featured a whopping $25 million purse, with the winner bagging $4.5 million.
Below, we look at the highest-paid golfers in 2024 across major tours such as the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf. We focus on the golfer’s on-course earnings for the period, keeping in mind that they also earned more from their sponsorships, brand endorsements, and business ventures.
2024’s Highest-Paid Golfers
Scottie Scheffler – $62,228,357
Scottie Scheffler was undoubtedly the man of the year in 2024, collecting a total of nine titles. The two-time Masters winner won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in March, the Masters Tournament and the RBC Heritage in April, the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship in June, and the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in August.
In September, Scheffler claimed his first FedExCup title after winning the 2024 TOUR Championship, earning him $25 million. He became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to post a seven-win season on the PGA TOUR. He amassed $29,228,357 in official prize money for the season and received a $8 million bonus for leading the regular-season standings, bringing his total to $62,228,357. In December, the American closed the year in style by defending his Hero World Challenge title.
Jon Rahm – $39,412,050
In December 2023, Jon Rahm announced his decision to join LIV Golf, signing an estimated nine-figure deal. His first LIV season in 2024 yielded two wins: LIV Golf UK in July and LIV Golf Chicago in September. Rahm earned $16,341,833 in individual income, $3.5M in team earnings, $509,033 from majors, and a whopping $18M for ending the season as the individual champion.
The Spaniard also earned $1,061,476 from the DP World Tour, bringing his on-course total to around $39,412,050. Forbes ranked the golfer as the world’s second highest-paid athlete in 2024, raking in a total of $218 million, factoring in his hefty LIV signup fee and multiple lucrative endorsements with brands like Rolex, Callaway, and Mercedes-Benz.
Joaquin Niemann – $29,376,724
LIV Golf’s deep pockets feature prominently on this list, with Joaquin Niemann coming in third at $29,376,724. On the Saudi-backed league, the Chilean golfer earned $15,479,268 in individual earnings, $415,000 from his team winnings, $284,498 from majors, and $12M for finishing second in the individual championship race. Niemann also made $1,198,239 from the DP World Tour, and his 2024 wins include LIV Golf Mayakoba in February and LIV Golf Jeddah in March.
Xander Schauffele – $29,218,653
Xander Schauffele had a phenomenal 2024, clinching two majors – the PGA Championship in May and the Open Championship in July, becoming the first golfer to win multiple majors in the same year since Brooks Koepka in 2018. The American accrued $18,385,320 in official prize money for the season, with his T4 finish at the Tour Championship adding another $4,833,333 to the pot. Schauffele additionally earned $6M for finishing second in the PGA Player Impact Program, bringing his season total to $29,218,653.
Rory McIlroy – $26,940,150
Rory McIlroy hit 2024 on a high note, winning the European Tour’s Dubai Invitational and Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January. On the PGA TOUR, the Irishman won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April alongside Shane Lowry and the Wells Fargo Championship in May, amassing $10,893,790 in official prize money for the season. His T9 finish at the TOUR Championship earned him an additional $1,608,333, while his third-place Comcast Business Top 10 finish raked in $4,800,000, bringing his PGA TOUR 2024 earnings to $17,302,123.
McIlroy won the DP World Tour Championship in November, clinching his sixth Race to Dubai title. The win earned him $3 million in tournament prize money payout and an extra $2 million for winning the season-long title. The golfer earned a cumulative $9,638,027 from the European Tour, bringing his combined total to $26,940,150.
Tyrell Hatton – $22,263,298
Englishman Tyrell Hatton joined LIV Golf in 2024, where he plays on the Legion XIII team. He had a relatively good season, raking in $11,426,310 in individual earnings, $3.9M in his share of team income, and $4M for coming in third in the LIV individual championship. Hatton also earned $2,937,296 from the DP World Tour, bringing his total to around $22,263,298. His 2024 victories include LIV Golf Nashville in June and the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October.
Final Verdict
Golf continued its dynamic evolution in 2024, offering more financial opportunities for players through increased tournament purses, enhanced media influence, and lucrative brand endorsements. Players are also increasingly pursuing business ventures, with a company like TMRW Sports (co-owned by sports executive Mike McCarley and professional golfers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy) launching the much anticipated TGL golf league in 2025. The future can only get brighter and richer for top players.