This past week, we saw historic numbers in the game of Golf. Jon Rahm just got a whopping $300 million up front and could see as high as $700 million during his time with LIV Golf.
It is funny to think that the ENTIRE PGA Tour prize pool for this past year was $460 million. That number is to get split up amongst every player for the entire year. To make you laugh a bit more, that was the biggest prize pool in PGA Tour History.
Now being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is not a bad gig. Travel the world with no “real” injury or health concerns, great benefits, and get to play a very prestigious game on a daily basis.
Let’s take a look at where a few PGA Tour players rank in earnings compared to other major sports.
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How Much do PGA Tour Players Make Compared to Other Professional Sports
*Salaries are average earnings for 2024-2025 via https://www.spotrac.com/
#1 Scottie Scheffler $21,014,342
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 46th Highest Paid: Trey Hendrickson (CIN DE), DeForest Buckner (IND DT), Javon Hargrave (SF DT), Jaire Alexander (GB CB)
MLB, 43rd Highest Paid: Chris Bassitt (TOR SP), Matt Olson (ATL 1B)
NHL: N/a
NBA, 69th Highest Paid: Dillon Brooks (HOU SF)
Dillon Brooks is really embracing the villain rolepic.twitter.com/iXxPEJh3mt
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 9, 2023
#5 Max Homa $10,761,517
Imagine if Rahm announces this in a LIV golf letterman jacket
— max homa (@Maxhoma) December 7, 2023
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 204th Highest Paid: Justin Reid (KC SS)
MLB, 129th Highest Paid: Steven Matz (STL SP), Lance Lynn (STL SP), Taylor Rogers (SF RP), Eugenio Suarez (SF 3B)
NHL, 10th Highest Paid: Mitchell Marner (TOR RW)
NBA, 142nd Highest Paid: Larry Nance (NOP PF)
#10 Xander Schauffele $8,459,066
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 249th Highest Paid: Anthony Richardson (IND QB)
MLB, 150th Highest Paid: Luis Robert Jr. (CWS OF)
NHL, 52nd Highest Paid: Roope Hintz (DAL LW), Miro Heiskanen (DAL D)
NBA, 156th Highes Paid: TJ McConnell (IND PG)
Man, I miss watching Anthony Richardson play football. #ForTheShoe
(🎥: via Sports Productions/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/rg9Ih5UMlo
— Indy SportsOne (@IndySportsOne) December 13, 2023
#25 Russell Henley $6,332,282
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 307th Highest Paid: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (CLE DE)
MLB, 173 Highest Paid: Keibert Ruiz (WSN C)
NHL, 116th Highest Paid: John Gibson (ANA G)
NBA, 183rd Highest Paid: Taylor Hendricks (UTA PF)
#50 J.T. Poston $3,699,409
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 447th Highest Paid: Zion Johnson (LAC G)
MLB, 206th Highest Paid: Jose Leclerc (TEX RP)
NHL, 255th Highest Paid: Frank Vatrano (ANA LW), Ryan Suter (DAL D)
NBA, 230th Highest Paid: Jake LaRavia (MEM PF)
$100 Nate Lashley $1,749,031
Where does that compare to…
NFL, 634th Highest Paid: Riley Dixon (DEN P)
MLB, 233rd Highest Paid: Joe Ross (MIL SP), Paul DeJong (CWS SS)
NHL, 358th Highest Paid: Nicolas Deslauriers (PHI LW)
NBA, 307th Highest Paid: Bryce McGowans (CHA SG)
In short, Golf has a money problem. With the unreal Saudi Money plus being one of the lesser-funded professional sports, they are getting lapped. It seems that a “solution” is on the table, but it seems more like a “waving the white flag” gesture than anything else. Only time will tell, but as of now, the future of golf is bleak, to say the least.
