Top 10 highest paid golf players in 2023

The world of golf is going through scrutiny at the moment. The huge news regarding the shocking merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has stunned everyone. The two tours who had been fighting a civil war, suddenly decided to shake hands to bring an end to this fight. The golfing community has since then received mixed reactions.

Golfing fans have slammed Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner for agreeing to this deal. The LIV Golf was time and again criticized for using Saudi money. The tour backed by the Public Investment Funds (PIF) was highlighted for luring players on big-money contracts. Now that the PGA has agreed to work with LIV, money is definitely going to flow. This now raises the question: who are the highest paid players in 2023?

The LIV league is known for its prize money. So be ready to see a few LIV players on this list. Will the Saudi-backed tour continue to exist in the future is a completely different topic.

Related: Rose Zhang’s Net Worth 2023: How much is she worth?

List of 10 highest paid golfers in 2023

10. Scottie Scheffler

Coming in at number 10 is the 26-year-old Scottie Scheffler. According to renowned publication Forbes, Scheffler has earned over $50 million throughout the year. While breaking this down, he has earned over $35 million by playing on the field. Scheffler has earned the other $15 million through off-course incomes.

He was able to bounce back after a disappointing loss at FedEx Cup last year. He has earned wins at the Phoenix Open and the Players Championships this year. Apart from these wins, he has also collected top-ten finishes in eleven events, thus signaling his status as one of the world’s best.

9. Jon Rahm

It might come as a surprise that the current world number one Jon Rahm only ranks ninth in this list. The Spanish International has been one of the best players in recent times. The 28-year-old is reported to have made around $52 million in 2023. While around $27 million have gone through the golf course, the rest has come through endorsements.

It has been a sensational year for him. Before capping up the huge victory at The Masters’ tournament, Rahm picked up several wins before. He started the year with successive wins at the Sentry Tournament and the American Express. He followed up these wins by coming out top in the Genesis Invitational in February.

8. Patrick Reed

Coming in at number 8 we have the experienced Patrick Reed. The first LIV golfer in this list, Reed has collected over $53 million in the year 2023. After spending over a decade in PGA, the golfer jumped ships to sail with the breakaway tour. He has earned over $50 million on the course while the other $3 million have come through sponsorships and endorsements.

The 2018 Masters winner is going through a rough face though recently. However, it would not be right to write him off yet as golf has seen various recoveries like this in the past as well.

7. Bryson DeChambeau

While Bryson DeChambeau might be under the heart of fans for his recent comments, his playing style is considered one of the best. He joined the LIV league in 2022 in a mega $125 million deal. Half of this money is reported to have been paid right as he joined. In 2023, he has amazed a fortune of over $71 million.

He also has signed various sponsorship deals. Some of them include agreements with Puma and Bridgestone. He is currently the captain of LIV’s Crushers GC, where he has matured in the role of a leader. DeChambeau’s recent outing came at the PGA Championship, where he finished tied for the top-four spot.

6. Tiger Woods

At number six, we have the legendary and perhaps the greatest of all time, Tiger Woods. A reason for his low rank has been his absence from the field. The golf great has been dealing with various injuries and has not taken part in major tournaments. Despite missing so much action lately, Woods has gathered up $75 million.

One might think how has he managed this much? The answer is simple. It’s his name and status as an icon that has helped him collect this amount. Woods is reported to have earned over $60 million through his off-field sponsorships and endorsement deals. A timeline for his return is still unknown and the likes of him missing the whole schedule gets stronger with each passing day.

5. Cameron Smith

A name that many would have thought would be lower down the list. Cameron Smith takes the fifth spot on the list of the highest-paid golf players in 2023. The Australian golfer has earned around $76 million, with $70 million coming by playing. His victories at the British Open and the Players Championship in 2022, got him an invite from LIV.

He is reported to have joined them for around $100 million. Since then Smith has proved his worth and is currently ranked number 9 in the Official Golf World Rankings (OWGR). Apart from this, he also has sponsorship deals with Original Penguin and Titleist. He was a part of the recently concluded PGA Championship where he finished with a respectable top-nine spot.

4. Brooks Koepka

One golfer who has dominated headlines in recent weeks is Brooks Koepka. The 33-year-old stunned the PGA Tour after he took home their most prestigious crown. His win at the Tour is reported to have opened doors for various current ongoing topics. For his performances this season, Koepka has gathered $77 million.

A year that has already been so good for him could have been better had he not stumbled at the Masters. Koepka would have to settle without the green jacket. He later vowed to correct his mistake and did so in Rochester. Like other LIV players, he also received a huge amount for joining the Saudi-backed league.

3. Rory McIlroy

Coming in at top-three spots is Rory McIlroy. The 34-year-old has been a constant enemy of the LIV league. He has continued to slam the rival league for trying to bring change and their money. Speaking of money, McIlroy has gained $80 million in the year 2023. Half of this has come through playing on various courses.

The North Irishman has made a name for himself in the business field as well. He has invested high stakes in Whoop, LetsGetChecked, and TMRW Sports, the latter being founded by Tiger Woods. He was last spotted at the RBC Canadian Open, where he lost his title to Nick Taylor of Canada on June 11.

2. Phil Mickelson

The first player to have earned over $100 million in the year is Phil Mickelson. The golf veteran has earned a fortune of $107 million. A huge part of this has come through on-course activities. Mickelson does not have many sponsors largely due to his comments about the human rights record of Saudi Arabia.

Like many of his LIV tour members, he was also a part of the PGA Championship. It was not the return he would have hoped for, as he finished tied at 58th spot. Recently he has been making headlines over his Twitter spat with Brandel Chamblee and Eamon Lynch of Golf Channel. He is currently the captain of his league team Hy Flyers.

1. Dustin Johnson

Grabbing the number one spot for the highest-paid player in golf for 2023 is Dustin Johnson. Popular by his initials “DJ”, he earned a fortune of over $111 million in 2023. The captain of the 4Aces GC, Johnson won the league’s first season-long championship. The golfer has gained around $106 million through playing while the other comes from sponsorships.

DJ is reported to have claimed over $40 million in prize money during his LIV career. This is almost double what he managed to make during his PGA career. He had to settle with a tied top-55 finish at the PGA Championship.

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