50 richest golfers

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April 30, 2020
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50 richest golfers

The game of golf has been described as nothing more than a ," but that couldn't be further from the truth for 麻豆原创's list of the 50 richest golfers, who have a combined net worth north of $4 billion.

To uncover the 50 richest golfers, consulted and ranked the world's richest golfers by their 2019 net worth. Some of the greatest names in the history of golf occupy the ranks, including a Golden Bear and a Shark, both of whom are staring up at a Tiger.

While male players secured 48 of the 50 spots, the lone woman is considered the greatest women's player of all time and was the first to compete against men in a PGA Tour event. The other spot belongs to a course designer responsible for some of golf's greatest tracts鈥攁nd one of its most horrifying holes.

Tiger Woods' being the richest golfer on the list won't come as a surprise to most, as he hit his and has earned nearly $1 billion from golf and endorsements since. His image took a serious hit from a much-publicized divorce in 2010, but he is still among sports' highest-paid athletes.

Tiger's success sent golf's in the 2000s, but a few legendary players managed to make the cut, as names like Trevino, Watson, and Langer continued adding to their fortunes on the Champions Tour. Business acumen also helped some of the old-time players as well, turning their legendary playing status into world-class course design and consulting firms. In fact, the second-richest golfer on the list made less than $15 million on the PGA Tour, but his apparel company has generated more than $500 million in total sales.

Continue reading to see 麻豆原创's list of the 50 richest golfers. Along with each golfer's net worth, we include information about some of their more prominent victories and historic achievements.

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#50 (tie). Michael Allen

- Net worth: $20 million

Longevity has been the secret to Michael Allen鈥檚 golfing success, as the California native captured his first victory on the European Tour in 1989. He would not reach the top of a leaderboard again for two decades, holding off Larry Mize by two strokes to win his Champions Tour debut, the He has won seven more times on the Champions Tour, including the 2014 Allianz Championship, where he carded an opening-round 60, just the

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#50 (tie). Louis Oosthuizen

- Net worth: $20 million

Louis Oosthuizen burst onto the golfing scene in 2010 following a successful amateur career on the Sunshine Tour in his native South Africa. He dominated the field at the winning by seven strokes over Lee Westwood to take home 850,000 euros and his only PGA Tour victory. Bubba Watson bested him in a playoff at the Masters two years later, despite and Zach Johnson topped him in a playoff at the .

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#50 (tie). Francesco Molinari

- Net worth: $20 million

Francesco Molinari had quite a stretch in 2018, including a six-week run with three first-place finishes and a pair of seconds, highlighted by his only major championship, the Later that summer, he became the He held a two-shot lead heading into the final round at The Masters in 2019, but a pair of shots into the water left

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#50 (tie). Dustin Johnson

- Net worth: $20 million

Dustin Johnson has 20 PGA Tour wins in his career and ranks with more than $62 million earned. His career has been marked by controversy鈥攐n and off the course鈥攚ith his lone marked by a rules violation. Away from the course, Johnson鈥檚 hiatus in 2015 was rumored to be a suspension as the result of for cocaine.

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#50 (tie). David Duval

- Net worth: $20 million

David Duval was one of the from 1997鈥2000, finishing in the top five on the money list each year, including the While 12 of his 13 PGA Tour victories fell during that stretch, his signature win came at the where he shot a final-round 67 for his lone major. The Open would be his final win, as injuries and personal problems plagued Duval the rest of his career before he moved to the broadcast booth in 2015.

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#50 (tie). Brandt Snedeker

- Net worth: $20 million

Snedeker was the picking up his first victory that year at the Wyndham Championship. Snedeker won the Tour Championship in 2012, capturing the $10 million prize for in the process. The Nashville native鈥檚 most recent victory came in 2018, again at the Wyndham Championships, where he became the shooting an opening-round 59.

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#44. Paul Casey

- Net worth: $21 million

Englishman Paul Casey has experienced much of his success on the European Tour, with a record-setting performance at the among his 14 wins. Casey claimed the first of his in 2009 at the Houston Open but went winless for nearly a decade before scoring His $30-plus million in career earnings are good for 35th on the

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#43. Martin Kaymer

- Net worth: $22 million

was on top of the golfing world in 2011, reaching #1 in the world following a two-year stretch that included seven European Tour wins and his first major, the 2010 PGA Championship. The German golfer won The Players Championship in 2014 and, one month later,

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#42 (tie). Zach Johnson

- Net worth: $25 million

Since turning pro in 1998, Zach Johnson has captured 12 PGA Tour wins, good enough for 13th on Johnson鈥檚 consistency kept him in the a 15-year run that included His signature victory came in 2007, when he held off a group that included making three birdies down the stretch for his first major title.

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#42 (tie). Tom Watson

- Net worth: $25 million

Tom Watson was one of golf鈥檚 premier players in the 1970s and 鈥80s, winning good enough for sixth all-time. He has added six Champions Tour majors and was the when at age 59 he finished inches from his ninth PGA Tour major victory. In total, Watson has more than 50 wins, 300 top-10 finishes, and is sixth all-time on the

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#42 (tie). Mike Weir

- Net worth: $25 million

Mike Weir reached the top of the golfing world in 2003 when he held off Len Mattiace to become the His and 69 top-10 finishes rank him among the Though he hasn鈥檛 won on any tour since 2007, Weir remains the only Canadian to ever win a major and was inducted into the

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#42 (tie). Matt Kuchar

- Net worth: $25 million

Matt Kuchar has won nine times on the PGA Tour over the course of his 20-plus-year career, including victories at and Kuchar鈥檚 closest call at a major was a second-place finish to Jordan Spieth at the and his are ninth all-time, the most without a major victory. Kuchar, who has scored a in Rio de Janeiro, shooting a final-round 63.

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#42 (tie). Justin Leonard

- Net worth: $25 million

has earned more than $33 million since turning pro in 1994, with 12 victories and 99 top-10 finishes. In 1997, he captured his lone major, becoming the first player in 66 years to come from five strokes behind in the final round to win He has won the joining Arnold Palmer as the only three-time winners of the event.

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#42 (tie). Jesper Parnevik

- Net worth: $25 million

Swedish-born Jesper Parnevik, was also one of the PGA Tour鈥檚 top players at the turn of the century. wins helped , with his last one coming at the 2001 Honda Classic. He and his family have been the subject of a since 2015, and Parnevik won on the Champions Tour in 2016.

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#42 (tie). Hideki Matsuyama

- Net worth: $25 million

Hideki Matsuyama reached after finishing second behind Brooks Koepka at the 2017 U.S. Open. One of the most Matsuyama has recorded eight wins on the Japan Tour to go with including He has seven top-10 finishes in majors, helping him earn more than $28 million in his career.

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#42 (tie). Henrik Stenson

- Net worth: $25 million

Henrik Stenson鈥檚 biggest payday came in 2013, when he won securing the bonus $10 million prize for finishing atop the standings. He won his lone major title at the helping maintain a 338-week stretch inside the top 10 of the World Golf Rankings. He also won the .

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#42 (tie). Geoff Ogilvy

- Net worth: $25 million

Ogilvy was the prime beneficiary of which earned the Aussie his lone major win. His have helped him earn more than $30 million in prize money. 鈥攕tarting a golf course architecture firm鈥攂ut served as at the President鈥檚 Cup in December.

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#42 (tie). Bernhard Langer

- Net worth: $25 million

Bernhard Langer is among golf鈥檚 all-time greats, winning 42 times on the European Tour from 1980鈥2002, Langer came from four strokes behind on the final nine holes to become the in 1985. He won the Masters again in 1991 and has in 2007, most recently in March 2020.

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#32 (tie). Kenny Perry

- Net worth: $30 million

Kentucky native Kenny Perry notched on his way to earning more than $32 million. Perry found his game in 2013鈥14 on the Champions Tour, finishing second at the 2013 Senior PGA Championship before He was also a member of the which defeated Europe in his home state of Kentucky.

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#32 (tie). Justin Thomas

- Net worth: $30 million

Justin Thomas only joined the PGA Tour in 2013 but has already racked up more than Thomas鈥 2017 season was a banner one, as he won five events鈥攊ncluding 鈥攁nd brought home the Before COVID-19 postponed the 2020 season, Thomas won the in a playoff over Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele.

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#32 (tie). Ian Woosnam

- Net worth: $30 million

captured 28 events on the European Tour in the 1980s and 鈥90s, winning Player of the Year honors twice. His lone PGA Tour victory came in sinking a birdie putt on the 72nd hole for a one-shot win over Jose Maria Olazabal. He held the world #1 ranking for nearly a year from 1990鈥91 and was a member of eight consecutive Ryder Cup teams from 1983鈥97. The 5-foot-4 鈥淲oosie鈥 was inducted into the

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#32 (tie). Hunter Mahan

- Net worth: $30 million

Hunter Mahan had a before joining the PGA Tour in 2003, recording six wins from 2007鈥14. Most notably, he took home the $1.4 million prize at the and scored another $1.4 million at Despite $30 million in career earnings, to stay on the tour since 2016, recording only

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#32 (tie). Darren Clarke

- Net worth: $30 million

has carved out 14 wins on the European Tour and three on the PGA Tour, including an Clarke earned $1 million by beating a young Tiger Woods in the finals of the Clarke joined the Champions Tour in 2018 but has yet to win in 32 events played.

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#32 (tie). Bubba Watson

- Net worth: $30 million

Bubba Watson was a presence on the PGA Tour before he ever started winning, earning the title of the from 2006鈥08. The left-handed Floridian hit one of the on his way to winning the 2012 Masters. He won the green jacket again two years later and has in career earnings, although his public comments and have rubbed some the wrong way.

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#26. David Toms

- Net worth: $35 million

Consistency was the story of with 13 wins and 111 top-10 finishes to his credit. His signature moment came at the 2001 PGA Championship, when a third-round hole-in-one propelled him to a for his only career major. Toms won the for his lone victory on the Champions Tour and first since 2011.

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#25 (tie). Padraig Harrington

- Net worth: $40 million

Padraig Harrington won just but three of them were majors, including in 2007鈥08. He followed his second Open title by winning the PGA Championship three weeks later, the Harrington was picked to serve as the captain of the European team for the slated for September.

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#25 (tie). Luke Donald

- Net worth: $40 million

has five career victories and 79 top-10 finishes since joining the PGA Tour in 2001, most notably at the 2011 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. That victory over Martin Kaymer was part of a banner 2011 for Donald, which saw him become the on both the PGA and European Tours, earning nearly $14 million between the two. Donald started his own brand of wines in 2007 and has been paid up to on his visor.

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#25 (tie). Lee Westwood

- Net worth: $40 million

has been a model of consistency, with at least one win in each of the last four decades on the European and PGA Tours. His lone win of 2010 on any tour鈥斺攈elped propel Westwood to the world鈥檚 No. 1 ranking a few months later, ending the Considered among the Westwood has finished in the top 10 of a major 19 times, including runner-up finishes at The Masters in 2010 and 2016.

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#25 (tie). Lee Trevino

- Net worth: $40 million

One of the game鈥檚 recorded 29 PGA Tour wins and 166 top-10 finishes from 1962鈥2000. Elected to the Trevino was one of only He would tack on another 29 Champions Tour titles鈥攆our majors鈥攁nd made a before retiring in 2011.

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#25 (tie). Justin Rose

- Net worth: $40 million

Justin Rose burst onto the golfing scene as a 17-year-old amateur, placing fourth at the 1998 Open Championship with a He turned pro the next day, going on to win 21 times between the European and PGA Tours, including a two-shot win over Phil Mickelson and Jason Day at the 2013 U.S. Open. In 2016, the Englishman became the first golfer in more than 110 years to and in 2018 became the 鈥攁nd the $10 million bonus鈥攚ithout winning a single playoff event.

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#25 (tie). Jason Day

- Net worth: $40 million

Jason Day put together one of the in 2015, winning five times on tour, including his lone major, the PGA Championship. Following his victory at the 2015 BMW Championship, Day earned the world鈥檚 #1 ranking and finished the year with Day has finished in the top 10 in more than 25% of the events he鈥檚 played in, and his $46 million in

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#25 (tie). Graeme McDowell

- Net worth: $40 million

Graeme McDowell had a successful career on the European Tour going when he won his first PGA event, the McDowell capped 2010 by stunning Tiger Woods in a playoff at the to win the $1.2 million purse. He won the Saudi International in February over Dustin Johnson for his pocketing $500,000 for his efforts.

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#25 (tie). Annika Sorenstam

- Net worth: $40 million

Regarded as the , Annika Sorenstam won 72 tournaments and 10 majors on the LPGA Tour between 1995鈥2008. Her Hall of Fame career included becoming the first woman since 1945 to play in a PGA Tour event at the Her $22-plus million in is tops all-time, while endorsement deals brought in She was awarded the for her service to golf.

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#17 (tie). Pete Dye

- Net worth: $50 million

Pete Dye only played in a handful of professional golf tournaments, but his career as an architect has had a profound effect on the game. Dye, who is responsible for more than 100 courses, including the famed Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, home to the island green at the par-three 17th. Whistling Straits, Kiawah鈥檚 Ocean Course, and Crooked Stick are just a few of the works.

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#17 (tie). Davis Love

- Net worth: $50 million

Davis Love III has amassed 21 PGA Tour victories, including and the PGA Championship in 1997, during his Love wrote an in 1997 and started his own golf course architecture firm that has designed a number of courses, including the one of Golf Magazine鈥檚 Top 100 courses.

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#17 (tie). Adam Scott

- Net worth: $50 million

One of the at $55 million, Australian Adam Scott has won 14 times on the PGA Tour, including the over Angel Cabrera. Becoming the first Aussie to win at Augusta helped propel Scott to the world鈥檚 #1 ranking in 2014. While at more than $6 million, he had a four-year winless streak that he snapped in February 2020, winning the for the second time.

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#14 (tie). Nick Faldo

- Net worth: $60 million

dominated the golf world in the late 1980s and early 鈥90s, and for his career amassed 30 European Tour wins and six major championships鈥攖hree Open Championships and three Masters. He was the top-ranked golfer in the world for nearly two full years from 1992鈥94, the and his six majors are the most by a European player since World War I. He was elected to the , was , and currently serves as a golf analyst.

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#14 (tie). Jim Furyk

- Net worth: $60 million

Jim Furyk has including a U.S. Open, and his $71 million in career earnings rank Furyk鈥檚 win at the 2010 Tour Championship secured him the 鈥攁nd the $10 million bonus鈥攐n his way to winning PGA Tour Player of the Year honors. He made history at the Travelers Championship in 2016, becoming the

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#14 (tie). Ian Poulter

- Net worth: $60 million

Ian Poulter has won 12 of his 17 tournaments as a member of the European Tour, where he ranks in the Poulter defeated fellow Englishman Paul Casey to win the his first PGA Tour victory. Known for his he launched his own clothing line in 2007, which before shutting down in 2017.

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#11. Sergio Garcia

- Net worth: $70 million

notched his in 2001 at the MasterCard Colonial and has 25 wins since on both the PGA and European Tours. Long tagged as the best player to never win a major, Garcia finally broke through at beating Justin Rose on the first playoff hole for his only major victory. He ranks third and 10th on the all-time and money lists, respectively.

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#10. Vijay Singh

- Net worth: $75 million

put together one of the in 2004, capturing including his second PGA Championship in a playoff. The Big Fijian finished atop the leaderboard in two in 2008, winning the title and $10 million first-place prize. He ranks fourth on the at $71 million earned, with 13 European Tour wins and four Champions Tour victories.

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#9. Ernie Els

- Net worth: $85 million

picked up his first PGA Tour victory in a 20-hole playoff in the 鈥攖he first of his four majors. Els was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 and shocked the golfing world a year later by , erasing a four-shot deficit with four holes to play. On top of the nearly $50 million he鈥檚 earned on the PGA Tour, the South African is among the annually, earning $14 million in 2013 alone.

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#8. Jordan Spieth

- Net worth: $100 million

had a historic year in 2015, just three years after turning pro, winning The Masters and U.S. Open while finishing second at the PGA Championship. The $10 million he brought home for winning the FedEx Cup pushed him past thanks to sponsorships with Under Armour, AT&T, and Titleist. Spieth鈥檚 last victory came in beating Matt Kuchar by three strokes after nearly collapsing.

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#7. Fred Couples

- Net worth: $120 million

won 15 PGA Tour events over the course of his during which he reached #1 in the world and had two video games named after him. Couples won for his lone major victory, although he added two more on the Champions Tour. One of the longest hitters on tour, back injuries plagued 鈥淏oom Boom鈥 much of his career, though he at age 50.

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#6. Rory McIlroy

- Net worth: $150 million

It鈥檚 taken just over a decade to reach the top of the and he sits eighth on the Four major championship victories, two FedEx Cup victories, two Player of the Year awards, and a much-publicized relationship鈥斺攚ith tennis player Caroline Wozniacki made McIlroy one of the in 2013. McIroy has more than 100 total weeks as the world鈥檚 #1 golfer鈥攖hird all-time鈥

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#5. Gary Player

- Net worth: $250 million

is among golf鈥檚 greatest, with 24 PGA Tour victories and nine major championship wins from 1959鈥78, good enough for The Black Knight added six senior major wins to his impressive resume, which includes Hall of Fame honors, the and the Player made more money in 2013 than he did in his entire playing career, with his golf course design firm and raking in $36 million.

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#4. Jack Nicklaus

- Net worth: $320 million

is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever, with a number of amazing accomplishments in his 18 major championships won; 19 second-place finishes in a major; in a major. The Golden Bear added eight Champions Tour major victories and was awarded the Nicklaus consulted with in the mid-1960s and went on to build one of the world鈥檚 largest firms, with over 300 designs to his credit.

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#3 (tie). Phil Mickelson

- Net worth: $400 million

is one of the bringing home $37 million in endorsement money in 2019 alone. His 44 PGA Tour victories and five major championships have helped him reach #2 on the at $91 million. A three-time Masters champ, Lefty added $9 million more to his net worth in 2018, defeating Tiger Woods in a pay-per-view, one-on-one showdown.

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#3 (tie). Greg Norman

- Net worth: $400 million

In his playing days, Greg Norman spent 331 weeks as the world鈥檚 #1 golfer in the 1980s and 鈥90s, with two British Open Championships to his credit. He was the and was a landslide selection to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. The Great White Shark built the vast amount of his wealth off the course from his various business ventures, including an and a design firm with

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#1. Tiger Woods

- Net worth: $800 million

Tiger Woods took his first televised golf swing at the age of three and signed endorsement deals with Nike. By 2008, he had made in his career, but a and divorce in 2010 severely damaged his image. He has won a record-tying 82 PGA tournaments, including 15 majors, and surged in popularity once again after he won his fifth

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