Golf pays. Sure, athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL bring home substantial paychecks, but they also have limited careers. The average professional basketball, football, baseball, or hockey career is nowhere near as long as the average professional golf career. A golfer can play the game and stay in the spotlight for decades. An NFL player's average career is around three years. Golfers can keep playing on the professional circuit well into their 50s. Golf is also a sport that is played year round and all over the world. There are tons of opportunities for pro golfers to make a little extra cash. And then there are the endorsements. Golfers are an attractive option for businesses and brands looking for a spokesman. Golf traditionally reaches a demographic with high levels of disposable income. Golf's international appeal adds to the lucrative endorsement deals.
Let's take a look at the 10 highest earning professional golfers of all time. We bet you can guess who number one is!
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#10. Dustin Johnson
Net Worth: $20 million
Nationality: American
Lifetime Pro earnings: $59.3 million
Major championships: 2016 U.S. Open
#10. Justin Rose
Net Worth: $36 million
Nationality: English
Lifetime Pro earnings: $59.3 million
Major championships: 2013 U.S. Open
#8. Adam Scott
Net Worth: $40 million
Nationality: Australian
Lifetime Pro earnings: $65.7 million
Major championships: 2013 Masters
#7. Rory McIlroy
Net Worth: $80 million
Nationality: Northern Irish
Lifetime Pro earnings: $67.5 million
Major championships: 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 The Open Championship, 2014 PGA Championship
#6. Sergio Garcia
Net Worth: $70 million
Nationality: Spanish
PGA Tour earnings: $68.8 million
Major championships: 2017 Masters
#5. Ernie Els
Net Worth: $85 million
Nationality: South African
Lifetime Pro earnings: $79.1 million
Major championships: 1994 U.S. Open, 1997 U.S. Open, 2002 The Open Championship, 2012 The Open Championship
#4. Vijay Singh
Net Worth: $75 million
Nationality: Fijian
Lifetime Pro earnings: $81.1 million
Major championships: 1998 PGA Championship, 2000 Masters Tournament, 2004 PGA Championship
#3. Jim Furyk
Net Worth: $60 million
Nationality: American
Lifetime Pro earnings: $82.4 million
Major championships: 2003 U.S. Open
#2. Phil Mickelson
Net Worth: $375 million
Nationality: American
Lifetime Pro earnings: $109.4 million
Major championships: 2004 Masters, 2005 PGA Championship, 2006 Masters, 2010 Masters, 2013 The Open Championship
#1.Tiger Woods
Net Worth: $740 million
Nationality: American
Lifetime Pro earnings: $158.7 million
Major championships: 1997 Masters, 1999 PGA Championship, 2000 U.S. Open, 2000 The Open Championship, 2000 PGA Championship, 2001 Masters, 2002 Masters, 2002 U.S. Open, 2005 Masters, 2005 The Open Championship, 2006 The Open Championship, 2006 PGA Championship, 2007 PGA Championship, 2008 U.S. Open
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