Golf is believed to be the sport of prestige, dignity, class, and upstanding gentleman and ladies (John Daly withstanding). The purse for the Master’s Tournament is now more than a whopping $10 million, so it’s more evident that incredible club skill comes with big paydays. Just like any professional sport, golf also has many endorsements that sweeten the pot. Although this may come as a surprise to most, you need to check out who made our list of golfers with the highest net worth in 2019. Wait until you see just how rich these stars are.
The World’s Richest Golfers And Their Net Worth
Luke Donald (Net Worth: $40 million)
Luke Donald has an estimated net worth of $40 million and was once the top golfer in the world. Mainly playing on the PGA Tour, Donald is also a European tour member. In 2011, the British pro golfer won the Player of the Year award, and for 40 weeks, he was the World Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking. Even though Rory McIlroy ended Donald’s reign, Donald earned the world’s number one golfer title once again, so the cumulative total of the time he held the title is 56 weeks. Aside from that, he was in the top 10 for more than 200 weeks.
Luke Donald (Net Worth: $40 million)
Padraig Harrington (Net Worth: $40 million)
Irish golfer Padraig Harrington started playing professionally in 1995 and boasts over 30 professional wins. He has won three major championships, including the 2007 and 2008 Open Championship and the 2008 PGA Championship. Harrington has spent over 300 weeks in the world’s top 10 rankings, and in July of 2008, he ranked third. His most recent win was in March of 2015, and in the same year, he claimed his first PGA title in seven years after winning the Honda Classic tournament on the European PGA Tour. He was chosen as the 2020 European Ryder Cup captain in January 2019. His net worth is estimated to be $40 million.
Padraig Harrington (Net Worth: $40 million)
Lee Westwood (Net Worth: $42 million)
Lee Westwood is known for his consistency and he is one of a few golfers to win tournaments in five continents. He was named player of the year both in 1998 and 1999 and in 2009, and many believe that he is among the best golfers who have never won a major championship. Westwood may have never won a major, but he has been in the top three of each tournament and is one of the all-time richest golfers, with his net worth estimated to be around $42 million. In 2010, the British golfer took Tiger Woods’ place as the number one golfer in the world, holding the position for 22 weeks. Westwood has represented Europe in a total of 10 Ryder cups as well.
Lee Westwood (Net Worth: $42 million)
Lee Trevino (Net Worth: $45 million)
Lee Trevino is a retired pro golfer who is among the most accomplished ever in history. In 1981, the Mexican-American was honored with a spot on the World Golf Hall of Fame, and in 1984, he retired one of the world’s wealthiest golfers, with an estimated net worth of $45 million. He is one of only four players to win the PGA Championship, The Open Championship, and the U.S. Open multiple times. Despite his six major wins, he never really managed to win The Masters. Trevino won the Vardon Trophy due to getting the lowest average score on five different occasions from 1970 to 1980.
Lee Trevino (Net Worth: $45 million)
Annika Sorenstam (Net Worth: $47 million)
With the most wins out of all the female golfers, Annike Sorenstam is among the most successful golfers of all time and one of the richest female athletes. Throughout her career, she won a total of 72 official LPGA tournaments, which includes 10 majors, and 90 international tournaments. The retired, Swedish-born golfer was named Player of the Year eight times – a record in itself. In addition, she has taken home six Vare Trophies for being the pro female golfer with the best scoring average during a season. As a matter of fact, she is the only female golfer who has ever shot a 59 in a competition. Sorenstam also played in the 2003 Bank of America Colonial tournament and became the first woman to play on a PGA Tour event after 1945.
Annika Sorenstam (Net Worth: $47 million)
Adam Scott (Net Worth: $48 million)
One of the golfers of the millennium with the most success, Australian golfer Adam Scott has 29 international tournament wins and was the number one golfer in the world from mid-May to August in 2014. The accomplished golfer’s estimated net worth is $48 million, making Scott one of the richest golfers in the world. His biggest tournament win has to be the 2013 Masters Tournament championship as it is his first and only major one. He made history with his victory, becoming the first Australian to win the Masters. Scott may not have won another major, but he was the 2012 Open Championship runner-up and he finished third in two PGA Championship events.
Adam Scott (Net Worth: $48 million)
Jim Furyk (Net Worth: $60 million)
PGA Player of the Year and of the FedEx Cup Champion in 2010, Jim Furyk may have only won one major championship (the 2003 U.S. Open) but he has over 25 international tournament titles to his name and he is the record holder for the lowest PGA Tour score in history. Furyk shot an amazing 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship in 2016, the same year he was number two on the Official World Golf Ranking. He was included in the top 10 golfers in the world for over 430 weeks between the years 1995 and 2015. He is one of the richest golfers from the US, with an estimated net worth of $60 million.
Jim Furyk (Net Worth: $60 million)
Nick Faldo (Net Worth: $60 million)
Retired British pro golfer Sir Nick Faldo is currently a golf analyst, but when he was still playing, he was one of the best golfers of his generation. The British golfer spent 97 weeks on the top spot on the Official World Golf Ranking, and he had 41 professional wins throughout his career. He won six major championships: three at The Masters’ Tournament, and three at The Open Championship. He may not have won the PGA and U.S. Open Championships, but he finished as a runner-up in the tournaments. Faldo’s career as a golfer and his work in broadcasting has helped him build his net worth, which is estimated to be around $60 million.
Nick Faldo (Net Worth: $60 million)
Sergio Garcia (Net Worth: $70 million)
One of the best PGA golfers in history, the Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia spent more than 450 weeks as a top-10 golf player in the world. He is widely recognized for winning the Players Championship in 2008 and the Masters’ Tournament in 2017. He has over 30 professional wins in his career. For most of his professional golfing career, Sergio Garcia has been on the Official World Golf Ranking’s top ten golfers. The Spanish pro golfer has won over 30 international tournaments and has ranked as a top ten golfer for more than 450 weeks. The Spaniard’s highest career ranking (second) came after he won the HSBC Champions tournament back in November 2008.
Sergio Garcia (Net Worth: $70 million)
“El Niño”
Before Garcia’s major victory in the Masters’ Tournament in 2017, he had been known for being unable to win a major tournament for quite some time. The Spaniard was already 37 years old and well into his impressive career before he finally had his first major tournament victory. Recognize for his accuracy and strong iron play, the Spaniard has been playing excellent golf throughout the years. Besides, he has competed in nine out of ten matches in the Ryder Cup during his career and earned a record of 25.5 points in those matches. The golfer’s estimated net worth is $70 million.
“El Niño”
Vijay Singh (Net Worth: $75 million)
One of the richest golfers in history and the best pro golfer to come out of Fiji, Vijay Singh has enjoyed an incredible career with the PGA. He turned pro in 1982 and has been a pro for almost four decades. Singh was one of the brightest talents in golf in the early 2000s and he was the PGA Tour Money leader in the years 2003, 2004, and 2008. Singh ranked first on the Official World Golf Ranking in 2004 and held the position for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. In 1998, he won his first major – the PGA Championship. He later won another PGA Championship tournament and a Masters Tournament.
Vijay Singh (Net Worth: $75 million)
“The Big Fijian”
Known for putting meticulous preparation into his craft, Singh was often one of the first to arrive at the range prior to an event, and after each event, he would often work on his game for hours. The Fijian golfer was honored with a spot on the World Golf Hall of Fame back in 2005. Because of his dominance as a golfer as well as longevity as a professional, Singh has become one of the greatest players of the sport in history and one of the world’s richest golfers. Throughout his career, he has had over 30 international tournament wins, and he is now worth an estimated $75 million.
“The Big Fijian”
Rory McIlroy (Net Worth: $80 million)
One of the best pro golfers of all time, Rory McIlroy, who hails from Northern Ireland, is one of only four players who have won three major tournaments by the age of 25. Before going pro, McIlroy already had success as an amateur player, spending a week at the top spot on the World Amateur Golf Ranking when he was 17 years old. Once he turned professional, he quickly made his presence felt on the European Tour. He first won the tour in 2009, and a year later, he won the PGA Tour for the first time. By 2012, McIlroy had become the youngest player who earned 10 million euros on the European Tour and reached $10 million in career earnings on the PGA tour.
Rory McIlroy (Net Worth: $80 million)
“Wee Mac”
By the time he was 25, McIlroy had already won three major tournaments and had topped the Official World Golf Rankings for 95 weeks. At the age of 30, he has won four majors and a total of over 20 international tournament wins. He holds the record for the U.S. Open with a score of -16 and the record for the largest winning margin (8 strokes) at the PGA Tour Championship. The golfer who hails from Northern Ireland was named RTE Sportsperson of the Year two times and has an estimated net worth of $80 million.
“Wee Mac”
Ernie Els (Net Worth: $85 million)
The greatest professional golfer to come out of South Africa, Ernie Els is among the most accomplished and richest players of the sport in history. Because of his 6-foot-3 stature, Els is known as “The Big Easy” and he has had over 70 tournament wins throughout his career. He is one of only six golfers who have won both The Open Championship and the U.S. Open multiple times. He was the winner of the 1994 and 1997 U.S. Open, and the 2002 and 2012 Open Championships. Els may have won four major championships, but he never won the PGA Championship or The Masters. However, he did well in both tournaments, finishing in the top three on four separate occasions.
Ernie Els (Net Worth: $85 million)
“The Big Easy”
In his career, Els has won plenty of money. He came out on top of the European Tour Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004, earning the most money on the tour in the two years. In addition, he was the first tour member to win over 25 million euros from the events in the European Tour and before 2011, he was the top money winner on the tour. Els once ranked first on the Official World Golf Ranking and was in the top ten for 788 weeks (he held the record until 2013). He has had an incredibly dominant career, has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and estimated to be worth $85 million.
“The Big Easy”
Fred Couples (Net Worth: $120 million)
Fred Couples is a former World Number One golfer and another accomplished and very rich player. He has won over 60 professional tournaments throughout his career and has been given the nickname “Boom Boom” because he can accurately drive the ball long and off the tee. Couples were chosen as the PGA Tour Player of the Year back in 1991 and 1992 and took home the Vardon Trophy in those two years for getting the lowest scoring average. The American golfer also won the Masters back in 1992, which was his first and only major win before going on the Senior PGA Tour.
Fred Couples (Net Worth: $120 million)
“Boom Boom”
Eventually joining the Senior PGA Tour, Couples enjoyed further success. In 2011, he won the Senior Players Championship, and a year later, he became The Senior Open Championship winner. In 2013, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Now among the richest golfers of all time, Couples has had many achievements during his impressive career including spending 16 weeks as the world’s number one golfer and leading the PGA Tour in earnings back in 1992. The length of his career in golf has paid huge dividends even though he has not had major victories, and his net worth is estimated to be about $120 million.
“Boom Boom”
Gary Player (Net Worth: $250 million)
Gary Player is one of the greatest golf players in history and one of the richest in the world. Throughout his career, the South African won more than 160 tournaments, with nine major championship titles on the regular tour and another nine on the Champions Tour. At 29 years old, he became the only non-American who has won all four majors (called the Career Grand Slam). During that time, he was the youngest to achieve the feat, but that record has been broken. There are just five players in history that have achieved a career Grand Slam.
Gary Player (Net Worth: $250 million)
“The Black Knight”
In 1974, the South African was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, though his accomplishments in golf are not just exclusively limited to what he has achieved on the course. He is a well-known golf course architect as well, with over 400 design projects in five different continents. In addition, he has excelled as an author, and he has written or co-authored over 35 different books on golf. Because of his efforts, Player has been nicknamed the International Ambassador of Golf. Player has an estimated net worth of around $250 million, owing to his successful careers as an author, architect, and of course, athlete.
“The Black Knight”
Greg Norman (Net Worth: $300 million)
One of the greatest golf players in history, Australian Greg Norman has had over 85 professional tournament victories. He is not only the best player in his country but also one of the richest golfers of all time. Throughout his career, the phenomenal golfer has had 30 top-10 finishes in different major tournaments and was the runner-up in majors eight times. Norman has 20 PGA Tour tournament wins to his name, and he won two majors – the 1986 and 1993 Open Championships. Norman was earned a spot on the World Golf Hall of Fame back in 2001.
Greg Norman (Net Worth: $300 million)
“The Great White Shark”
Norman was given the nickname “The Shark” because of his play at the Masters in 1981 – a reference to his aggressive golf style and blond hair. In addition, he has been a shark off the golf course as he is the CEO of his global corporation called the Greg Norman Company. His professional and entrepreneurial careers have been highlighted by the philanthropic efforts he does. The golfer has made donations to and founded many charities and charity events, such as the QBE Shootout, whose primary beneficiary is the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. A sports legend and a successful businessman, Norman is one of the most charitable athletes in the sport of golf and he has an estimated net worth of about $300 million.
“The Great White Shark”
Jack Nicklaus (Net Worth: $320 million)
Many believe that Jack Nicklaus is the greatest golfer ever, and he also happens to be one of the richest of all time. For over 25 years, he held the record for the most number of major championships won (18) throughout his career. He has also played in the most number of major championships, competing in 164 throughout his career. He is one of a few golfers who have won every major championship, and the 73 PGA Tour victories that Nicklaus has ranked third in history behind Sam Snead’s 82 and Tiger Woods’ 81. Nicklaus won the Masters six times, the U.S. Open four times, the Open Championship three times, and the PGA Championship five times.
Jack Nicklaus (Net Worth: $320 million)
“The Golden Bear”
Similar to many others on this list, the golf legend expanded his career beyond golf. Nicklaus has also ventured into other areas, getting involved in golf course design, book writing, and charity work. Nicklaus is part of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and his own course design company is one of the largest in the world. Also, he runs an event called the Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour. “Golf My Way”, his instructional book on golf, is regarded as one of the best of all time. The golf legend’s decorated careers have contributed to his estimated net worth of $320 million.
“The Golden Bear”
Phil Mickelson (Net Worth: $375 million)
Phil Mickelson is among the most consistently dominant golfers of all time, and he has been in on the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 for over 25 consecutive years. He has had over 40 PGA Tour wins and is one of just 16 players to win three of the four major golf championships. Mickelson won major championships five times – three times at the Masters, once at the PGA Championship, and once at the Open Championship. A win at the U.S. Open has remained elusive to Mickelson so far, but he has finished as a runner-up a record six times.
Phil Mickelson (Net Worth: $375 million)
“Lefty”
In 2012, Mickelson was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame but he has been golfing for almost a decade since his induction. He has spent over 700 weeks in the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 10 and he has been in the top 50 for over 25 consecutive years. His left-handed swing earned the San Diego, California native the nickname “Lefty”, and he learned his swing by mirroring that of his father. Because of Mickelson’s massive success and consistency over the years, he has become one of the most dominant and richest golfers, with his net worth estimated to be around $375 million.
“Lefty”
Arnold Palmer (Net Worth: $700 million)
Arnold Palmer was born in 1929 and is widely considered the greatest golfer of all time. Nicknamed “The King,” Palmer is a PGA pioneer and the first golf superstar of the television age, when the sport found its way to TV back in the 1950s. No other professional golfer has had quite the social impact like Palmer did and his emergence as a humble and charismatic superstar helped change people’s perception of golf. The sport used to be viewed as elite and upper-class but because of him, golf became an accessible and fun sport for all types of players. Palmer is also among the most talented golfers in history and he won many tournaments as well.
Arnold Palmer (Net Worth: $700 million)
“The King”
Palmer’s career as a professional golfer spanned more than six decades, and he had over 60 PGA Tour wins. As of 2019, the PGA Tour ranks Palmer fifth on their all-time victory list, so he trails Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Ben Hogan. Having one of the best hot streaks ever, Palmer won seven major tournaments within a period of six years. The iconic golfer is among the 13 original inductees of the World Golf Hall of Fame, and in 1998, he was given the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2016, the golf trailblazer sadly passed away and his estimated net worth at the time of his passing was about $700 million.
“The King”
Tiger Woods (Net Worth: $850 million)
Aside from being his generation’s best golfer, Tiger Woods is also among the most iconic and highest-paid athletes in history. Since he went pro, he has been a superstar, and he now ranks second in both PGA Tour wins and major championships. It took him less than a year to reach the number one spot on the world rankings for the first time, and he has spent more than 540 weeks — or 10 years — of his career as the world’s top-ranked golfer. Woods has won all major tournaments, at least three times each, and as of 2019, he has 15 major tournament victories.
Tiger Woods (Net Worth: $850 million)
Just “Tiger”
Out of all the pro golfers, Woods has spent the most consecutive weeks being the World Number One golfer, and he’s also held the spot for the most number of weeks. Aside from being named PGA Player of the Year a record 11 times, he’s also been the money list leader in 10 different seasons – a record he holds as well. Considering Woods’ dominance throughout the decades, it should come as no surprise that he is the richest golfer in the world. The run of dominance the superstar golfer had will likely never be matched. His estimated net worth is $850 million.
Just “Tiger”
Patty Berg (Net Worth: $85 million)
While she is no Tiger Woods, Patty Berg is still among the most important golfers of all time. Berg was not only a founding member of the LPGA Tour, but she was also a leading player on it from the 1940s until the 1960s. She had 15 major title wins, and holds record for most major victories by a female golfer in history. Her historic career got Berg inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The women’s golf pioneer may have passed away in 2006 but her legacy will always be remembered. Before her passing, her net worth was estimated to be $85 million.
Patty Berg (Net Worth: $85 million)
Mickey Wright (Net Worth: $24 million)
Mickey Wright is a former LPGA Tour professional and another iconic women’s golf figure. Wright started on the tour in 1955 prior to eventually becoming one the most dominant players on it. The golfer later won major championships 13 times and won 82 career events on the LPGA Tour, earning a huge sum of prize money. Now a World Golf Hall of Famer, Wright has an estimated net worth of $24 million. The 84-year-old legend is one of just a few of golfers who have won a women’s major. Wright is arguably one of the two or three best golfers of all time.
Mickey Wright (Net Worth: $24 million)
Louise Suggs (Net Worth: $8 million)
Another LPGA Tour founder, Louise Suggs became another women’s golf legend. Only Mickey Wright and Patty Berg have won more LPGA major championships than Suggs has (she won 11). Suggs had a total of 58 professional tournament victories throughout her career. From 1950 to 1960, she was one of the top three on the season-ending money list, except for one year in that decade. She was part of the inaugural class of LPGA Tour Hall of Famers (1967), and she was elected to the World Golf Hall Fame over a decade later. At the time she passed in 2015, Suggs had an estimated net worth of around $8 million.
Louise Suggs (Net Worth: $8 million)
Walter Hagen (Net Worth: $20 million)
Widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time, Walter Hagen is behind Tigers Woods and Jack Nicklaus for the most majors in history. If Hagen’s 11 professional major wins had come a few decades later, the golfer would’ve been even richer. With a total of 45 PGA wins, Hagen was among his era’s most dominant golfers. At the time he passed away in 1969, Hagen had an estimated net worth of roughly $20 million. If he had played in an era when there were more lucrative prize winnings, this World Golf Hall of Fame inductee would likely be worth millions more.
Walter Hagen (Net Worth: $20 million)
Babe Zaharias (Net Worth: $1 million)
Babe Zaharias is among the most multi-talented athletes of all time as she was exceptional in different sports. Aside from golf, she was also an accomplished track and field, baseball, and basketball athlete. In fact, she even took home two gold medals for track and field at the Summer Olympics in 1932 before she started her professional golfing career. One of the best golfers in PGA history, Zaharias won 10 LPGA major championships (fourth of all time and tied with Annika Sorenstam). Many consider Zaharias one of the best female athletes in history and at the time of her passing, she was estimated to be worth $1 million.
Babe Zaharias (Net Worth: $1 million)
Ben Hogan (Net Worth: $10 million)
Ben Hogan is one of only five golfers who have won all major championships. The other four are Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods. Best known for his influence on golf swing theory, Hogan is a legend and it said that few others could strike the ball the way he could. Hogan’s nine major championship wins rank him fourth of all time and he is tied with Gary Player, trailing three golfers that have made this list. When Hogan passed away in 1997, his estimated Net worth was around $10 million.
Ben Hogan (Net Worth: $10 million)
Tom Watson (Net Worth: $25 million)
Virtually no golfer has ever matched the amazing longevity of Tom Watson. He was one of the leading golfers in the world during the 1970s and 1980s, and he was competitive until he was almost 60 years old. He had eight major championship wins, though he never got a PGA Championship victory and the grand slam. Watson has also won Senior major championship six times, which complements his amazingly accomplished career. Given his dominance and longevity, he racked up plenty of prize money when he was still playing professionally and as of 2019, he has an estimated net worth of about $25 million.
Tom Watson (Net Worth: $25 million)
Betsy Rawls (Net Worth: $1 million)
Betsy Rawls has eight major championship titles and won 55 LPGA Tour events throughout her career, making her undoubtedly one of the best golfers in LPGA history. She has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1959, she won the LPGA Vare Trophy when she had the year’s lowest scoring average and it was the second year that she led the tour’s money list. Rawls was in the top 10 of the money list for a total of nine times, and she is a three-time tour leader when it comes to victories. Since she retired, Rawls has become an LPGA Tour tournament director. Her estimated net worth is about $1 million.
Betsy Rawls (Net Worth: $1 million)
Karrie Webb (Net Worth: $15 million)
The most successful active LPGA Tour golfer, Australian Karrie Webb has earned some major prize winnings in her career. Her 57 professional wins and seven major championships have secured Webb the top seven position on the list of LPGA major championships. Her success started in 1996 when she was named LPGA Rookie of the Year as well as topped the money list. She topped the year-end money list of the LPGA three times, and in the latter two of the three years, she won the LPGA Tour Player of the Year. As of 2019, Webb still plays professionally and has an estimated net worth of roughly $15 million.
Karrie Webb (Net Worth: $15 million)
Gene Sarazen (Net Worth: $17 million)
Gene Sarazen is one of the best golfers in the world during the 1920s and 1930s. The World Golf Hall of Fame inductee is one of only five players who have earned the Career Grand Slam, winning in the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, PGA Championship, and Masters Tournament. When his career ended, he had 49 professional wins, and he became the recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. Three years later, he passed away at the age of 97. At the time he passed, Sarazen had an estimated net worth of roughly $17 million.
Gene Sarazen (Net Worth: $17 million)
Rickie Fowler (Net Worth: $20 million)
Rickie Fowler’s career-best on the Official World Golf Ranking is top four after he won at the HSBC Golf Championship in Abu Dhabi. He is amazingly self-taught and showed promise when he was still young. Fowler was still in school when he became the winner of the SW League Final. Between tournament wins and sponsorships, he has been raking it in and he is estimated to be worth roughly $20 Million. In 2015, Forbes named Fowler the seventh highest-paid golfer, and his net worth has since steadily increased.
Rickie Fowler (Net Worth: $20 million)