Golf is frequently regarded as a distinction, honor, and decency for both ladies and gentlemen. With the Master’s tournament winnings now exceeding $10 million, it’s becoming clear that exceptional club skill is rewarded handsomely. Endorsements, like any other professional sport, increase attractiveness. So, let’s take a closer look at the wealthiest golfers in 2019, as measured by their net worth.
Padraig Harrington- $40 Million Net Worth
Padraig Harrington has won more than 30 golfing tournaments since 1995. He has three major championships under his belt. For more than five and a half years, Harrington has remained in the world’s top ten rankings. Harrington’s most recent victory was in March of 2015. He won the Honda Classic on the European PGA Tour that year, his first PGA Tour victory in nearly seven years. He was named captain for the 2020 Ryder Cup in January 2019. Harrington’s net worth is estimated to be $40 million.
Luke Donald- $40 Million Net Worth
Luke Donald was once the world’s number one golfer, is estimated to be worth $40 million. Donald was named Player of the Year in 2011, and he spent 9 months as the number one golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking. Rory McIlroy dethroned Donald as the world’s best golfer, but Donald regained the title. He has topped the world rankings for a total of 1212 months. Luke Donald has also spent over 200 weeks in the top 10.
Lee Westwood – $42 Million Net Worth
Lee Westwood is regarded as one of the most consistent golfers in the world. He is one of only a few golfers to have won tournaments on five continents. He was named player of the year in 1998, 1999, and 2009 and is widely regarded as one of the best golfers never to win a major championship. On the other hand, Westwood has finished in the top three at all of the major tournaments. Regardless, Lee Westwood has a net worth of $42 million, making him one of the wealthiest golfers in history.
Lee Trevino – $45 Million Net Worth
Lee Trevino, a retired professional golfer, is regarded as one of the sport’s greatest players. Trevino is one of only four players to have won the US Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship on multiple occasions. Despite his six major victories, Trevino has never been able to win The Masters. The Vardon Trophy was awarded to “Supermex” for having the lowest average in five different events. His net worth is estimated to be around $45 million.
Annika Sorenstam – $47 Million Net Worth
Annika Sorenstam is currently retired, but she has won 90 international tournaments and 72 official LPGA tournaments, including 10 majors during her career. She had an incredible record of being named Player of the Year eight times in a row. Sorenstam has also received six Vare Trophies for having the lowest seasonal scoring average. She was the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event since 1945, when she competed in the Bank of America Colonial tournament in 2003. The amazing athlete’s net worth is estimated to be around $47 million.
Adam Scott -$48 Million Net Worth
With 29 international tournament victories, Adam Scott is one of the most successful golfers of the millennium. Scott was the World Number One Golfer from mid-May to August of 2014. Scott’s best tournament victory was the 2013 Masters Tournament, which was his first and only major title. He made history by becoming the first Australian to win the Masters. The well-trained golfer is one of the world’s wealthiest golfers, with a net worth of $48 million.
Nick Faldo – $60 Million Net Worth
Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo was regarded as one of his era’s best players, and his dedication to the game has often been lauded. The golfer was ranked number one on the Official World Golf Ranking for 97 weeks and won 41 professional tournaments during his career. Sir Nick won six major championships, including three at The Open and three at The Masters. This champion golfer’s net worth is estimated to be around $60 million, thanks to his career as a player and a broadcaster.
Jim Furyk – $60 Million Net Worth
Jim Furyk is one of the wealthiest golfers in the history of the United States. Despite having only one major championship to his credit (the 2003 U.S. Open), During his career, Furyk has won more than 25 international tournaments. Furyk holds the record for the lowest score ever on the PGA Tour. He shot a remarkable 58 in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship. He finished second in the Official World Golf Ranking that year. On top of that, his net worth is estimated to be around $60 million.
Sergio García – $70 Million Net Worth
Sergio Garcia has spent more than 450 weeks as a top-10 golfer globally, making him one of the greatest PGA golfers of all time. The Spanish golfer is best known for winning the Players Championship in 2008 and the Masters’ Tournament in 2017. Throughout his professional career, he has amassed over 30 victories. Sergio Garcia, an extraordinary pro golfer, has spent most of his professional golfing career in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking.
‘El Niño’
Unfortunately, Garcia is known for his inability to win a major tournament, but he finally won the 2017 Masters Tournament. Garcia is known for his precise iron play and strong iron play. Garcia, also known as ‘El Nino,’ has consistently performed well throughout his career, particularly when competing in the Ryder Cup. Garcia has played in nine of the ten Ryder Cup matches, scoring a record 25.5 points in the process. The golfer is estimated to be worth $70 million.
Vijay Singh -$75 Million Net Worth
Vijay Singh’s PGA career has been nothing short of spectacular. He turned professional in 1982 and has been a professional for nearly four decades, winning the most money on the PGA Tour in 2003, 2004, and 2008. Singh was one of the most talented athletes in the early 2000s. Between the years 2004 and 2005, he was the number one player in the Official World Golf Ranking, holding 32 weeks. In 1998, Singh won his first major championship.
‘The Big Fijian’
Singh is well-known for the meticulous planning he puts into his work. The World Golf Hall of Fame inducted the Fijian golfer in 2005. Singh’s skill as a golfer and professionalism helped him become one of the world’s highest-paid golfers and one of the greatest sports history players. Vijay has won more than 30 international tournaments over the course of his professional career. His net worth is estimated at an enormous $75 million.
Rory McIlroy – $80 Million Net Worth
Rory McIlroy is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, had a successful amateur career before turning pro. He topped the World Amateur Golf Ranking for a week when he was only 17 years old. McIlroy made an immediate impact on the European Tour after turning professional. In 2009, he won his first Tour victory, and a year later, he won his first PGA Tour victory.
‘Wee-Mac’
McIlroy had already won three majors by the time he was 25 years old. By the age of 30, McIlroy had already won four major tournaments and had amassed more than 20 international tournament victories. With a score of -16, McIlroy holds the U.S. Open record and the PGA Championship record for the largest margin of victory (8 strokes). This outstanding pro-golfer has been named RTE Sports Person of the Year on two occasions and is estimated to be worth $80 million.
Ernie Els – $85 Million Net Worth
Ernie Els is one of golf’s most successful and wealthy athletes. Els, who is known as “The Big Easy” because of his towering 6-foot-3 stature, has won over 70 tournaments in his career. Ernie Els is one of just six golfers to win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship numerous times. He won The Open Championship in 2002 and 2012 and The Open in 1994 and 1997. Els has never won The Masters or the PGA Championship despite winning four majors.
The Big Easy
Els has amassed a sizable fortune over the course of his career. He topped the European Tour Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004, winning the most money of any player on tour in both years. He was also the first tour associate to win more than 25 million euros from European Tour events, and before 2011, he was the tour’s guiding career money winner. Before 2013, he was the top golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking and held the record for weeks while ranking in the top-10 with 788. He’s also worth around $85 million, according to reports.
Fred Couples – $120 Million Net Worth
Fred Couples, the former World Number One golfer, is another well-rounded player who is also extremely wealthy. During his professional career, he has won over 60 professional tournaments. In 1991 and 1992, the American golfer was named PGA Tour Player of the Year and the Vardon Trophy for having the lowest scoring average in those two years. Couples also won the Masters in 1992, his first and only major championship, before turning professional on the Senior PGA Tour.
“Boom-Boom”
The golfer won the Senior Players Championship in 2011 and the Senior Open Championship the following year. In 2013, Fred was nominated for induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Couples is now one of the most affluent golfers in history, having spent 16 weeks as the world’s number one golfer. Not only did he lead the PGA Tour in earnings in 1992, but his consistency as a golfer has paid off handsomely despite his lack of major victories.
Gary Player – $250 Million Net Worth
Gary Player is regarded as one of the greatest golfers in history and one of the world’s wealthiest golfers. During his career, the South African native won nine major championships on the regular tour and nine major championships on the Champions Tour. During his career, he won over 160 tournaments. The Player was the only non-American to win all four majors in a career at 29. He was also the youngest person to achieve something incredible, but that record has since been broken.
The Black Knight
In 1974, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as a South African golfer. But his accomplishments in golf aren’t limited to what he accomplished on the course. The player is also a well-known golf course architect, having completed more than 400 projects on five continents. The player is also an accomplished author, having written or co-written more than 35 books on the sport of golf. The Player has earned the moniker “International Ambassador of Golf” for his efforts both on and off the course.
Greg Norman – $300 Million Net Worth
Greg Norman, an Australian, is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Norman is the best player in his country and one of the wealthiest players in the sport’s history, having won more than 85 professional tournaments. A truly remarkable golfer with 30 top-10 finishes in major tournaments over the course of his career. During his career, he was also the runner-up in eight majors.
‘The Great White Shark’
Norman was dubbed “The Shark” after his performance at the 1981 Masters, a reference to his blond hair and combative golf style. He’s also a shark off the course, having founded and run his own global corporation, the Greg Norman Company. Norman’s charitable efforts have emphasized both his professional and entrepreneurial careers. The golfer has created and donated to several charities and charity events, including the QBE Shootout, which raises money for the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer fund.
Jack Nicklaus – $320 Million Net Worth
Also, Jack Nicklaus is one of the highest-paid golfers of all time. Over the course of his career, which spanned more than 25 years, Nicklaus won a record 18 major championships. Nicklaus has competed in more major championships than any other player in history, with 164 in his career. Nicklaus is one of the few golfers to have won every major championship, and his 73 PGA Tour victories put him in third place all-time behind Sam Snead (82) and Tiger Woods (81).
‘The Golden Bear’
Nicklaus’ career has grown substantially beyond golf. The golfing icon has taken the path down other areas and got involved in charity work, book writing, and golf course design. Nicklaus is a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and organizes an event on the PGA Tour, called the Memorial Tournament. The Golden Bear owns one of the largest golf course design companies in the world. With two successful careers as a golfer and architect, Nicklaus’s net worth is expected to be $320 million.
Phil Mickelson – $375 Million Net Worth
Phil Mickelson is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Mickelson is one of only 16 golf history players to have won at least three of the four majors, with more than 40 PGA Tour victories. Three of his five major championship victories occurred at the Masters, one at the PGA Championship, and one at the Open Championship. Mickelson has never won the US Open but has placed second six times.
‘Lefty’
Mickelson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012, but he has been a professional golfer for almost a decade. He was in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking for more than 700 weeks, and he was in the top 50 for more than 25 years. The golfer’s massive success and consistency year after year have helped him become one of the game’s most powerful and wealthy players. His net worth is estimated to be in the region of $375 million.
Arnold Palmer – $700 Million Net Worth
Arnold Palmer is widely regarded as the greatest golfer who has ever lived. No other professional golfer had the same social impact on the sport as Palmer. The golfer’s character is extremely humble. As the charming legend that he is, he has undoubtedly contributed to changing the perception of golf from an elite, upper-class sport to one that anyone can enjoy. Palmer has also won numerous tournaments and is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time.
‘The King’
Palmer was a professional golfer for more than six decades, winning more than 60 PGA Tour titles. Over a six-year period, the legendary golfer had one of the most impressive hot streaks in history, winning seven major tournaments. Palmer was one of the original 13 inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and in 1998 he won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award. Sadly, the golfing forefather died in 2016 at the age of 87. His net worth was around $700 million at the time.
Tiger Woods- $850 Million Net Worth
Tiger Woods is the best golfer of his generation and one of the most famous athletes in history, having finished second in major championships and PGA Tour wins. Woods is one of the world’s highest-paid athletes and has been regarded as a legend since his professional debut. It took Woods less than a year to reach the top of the world rankings for the first time, and he has been the best golfer in the world for more than 540 weeks during his career.
‘Tiger’
Woods has held the World Number One golfer position for the most successful weeks of any professional golfer, as well as the most weeks in total. He has won the PGA Player of the Year award an unprecedented 11 times, and he has led the money list in 10 consecutive seasons. It’s no surprise that Tiger Woods tops the list of the world’s wealthiest golfers, given his decades of influence and power. Woods’ net worth is estimated to be $850 million.
Special Mention – Patty Berg
Patty Berg is also one of the most well-known golfers in the game’s history. Berg was a founding member of the LPGA Tour and a prominent player from the 1940s to the 1960s. Berg holds the record for most major championships won by a female golfer with 15 victories. Berg’s legendary career earned her a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame, and she left behind a massive legacy that will live on long after she died in 2006.
Special Mention – Micky Wright
Mickey Wright is another iconic figure in women’s golf history. Wright joined the tour in 1955 and went on to become one of its most well-known players. The golfer went on to win 13 major championships and 82 LPGA Tour events in her career, earning a massive sum of money. Wright has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and her net worth is estimated to be $24 million.
Special Mention – Louise Suggs
Louise Suggs went on to become a legend in the world of women’s golf. Only Patty Berg and Mickey Wright, who was mentioned earlier, have won more LPGA major championships than Suggs. Suggs finished her professional tournament career with a total of 58 wins. She was inducted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame for the first time in 1967, and she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame just over a decade later.
Special Mention – Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan is a fantastic player. Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen are the other four. Hogan is well-known for his influence on golf swing theory. He was also said to have a unique ability to hit the ball in a way that few others could. Hogan’s nine major championship victories tie him for fourth all-time with Gary Player, following three golfers who have already topped this list.
Special Mention- Betsy Rawls
Betsy Rawls is, without a doubt, one of the greatest female golfers in LPGA history. In 1959, the LPGA Vare Trophy was awarded to the World Golf Hall of Fame member who finished the year with the lowest scoring average. Rawls placed in the top ten on the money list nine times and led the tour in wins three times. Rawls has continued to work for the LPGA Tour as a tournament director since her retirement.
Special Mention – Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen is third all-time in major championships won, behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. He would have been even wealthier if his 11 professional major victories had occurred a few decades later. Hagen was one of the most dominant golfers of his era, winning 45 PGA titles in total. If ‘Sir Walter’ had played in a more profitable era, the World Golf Hall of Famer would most likely be worth hundreds of millions of dollars more.
Special Mention – Babe Zaharias
Babe Zaharias was an incredible athlete in various sports and was one of the most accomplished athletes in history. Zaharias excelled in basketball, baseball, and track and field in addition to golf. She won two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics before becoming a professional golfer. Zaharias was a legendary golfer on the PGA Tour. Zaharias is widely regarded as one of the greatest female athletes of all time, having won ten LPGA major championships.
Special Mention – Tom Watson
Watson was one of the world’s best players in the 1970s and 1980s, and he stayed competitive until he was nearly 60 years old. Watson won eight major championships, but he never completed the grand slam by winning the PGA Championship. Regardless, Watson’s high quality and longevity make it easy to see how he could collect so much prize money throughout his career. Watson’s net worth was estimated to be around $25 million in 2019.
Special Mention – Karrie Webb
Karrie Webb has won several major awards throughout her illustrious career. Webb is tied for seventh place on the all-time LPGA major championships list with 57 professional wins, including seven major championships. Webb’s career began in 1996 when she was named LPGA Rookie of the Year and finished first in the year-end money list. She also won the LPGA year-end money list three times during her career, and in the last two of those three years, she was named LPGA Tour Player of the Year.
Special Mention – Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen is a unique figure in golf history. The World Golf Hall of Famer is one of only five players to win the Career Grand Slam, which includes victories at the US Open, PGA Championship, Open Championship, and Masters Tournament. Sarazen finished his professional career with 49 victories and was honored with the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. Sarazen was worth around $17 million at the time of his passing.
Special Mention – Ricky Fowler
Following his victory at the HSBC Golf Championship in Abu Dhabi, Rickie Fowler has a career-high ranking of #4 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Whether you believe it or not, Fowler is a self-taught golfer who demonstrated dedication from a young age when he won the SW League Final while still in high school. Between tournament victories and sponsorships, Fowler has been sweeping. His net worth is estimated to be around $20 million, and he was named the seventh highest-paid golfer by Forbes in 2015, a position he has held ever since.
Francesco Molinari – $20 Million Net Worth
The professional golfer from Italy is worth $20 million. Before turning professional in 2004, Francesco Molinari had a successful amateur career. He went on to win several major championships and competitions after that. In fact, he took first place in the 2018 Angus Open. He had a slew of great sponsorship deals throughout his illustrious golfing career, including Nike.
Chad Campbell – $20 Million Net Worth
Chad Campell, a professional golfer from the United States, has a net worth of $20 million. He began his professional golf career in 1996 and has had a successful career since then. He’s won tournaments like the NGA Hooters Tour and PGA Championships. In fact, in 2004, he was ranked in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings, and in 2006, he won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Paul Casey – $21 Million Net Worth
Paul Casey is an English professional golfer with a net worth of $21 million. After finishing high school in the United Kingdom, he moved to America on a golf scholarship from Arizona State University. He turned pro in 2000 and has since competed on the US PGA Tour and the European Tour, two of the world’s most prestigious professional tournaments. He was ranked #3 in the Official Golf Rankings in 2009 and has won £18 million in prize money.
Martin Kaymer – $22 Million Net Worth
The professional golfer from Germany has a net worth of $22 million. Martin Kaymer turned professional in 2005 and now has around 23 professional victories under his belt, which is impressive! Some of his most prominent wins include the BMW International Open in 2008, the PGA Championship in 2010, the U.S. Open in 2014, and the Players Championship in 2014. He was ranked #1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for eight weeks in a row in 2011 due to his massive success.
Zach Johnson – $25 Million Net Worth
Throughout his successful career, the American professional golfer has earned an impressive $25 million. Zach Johnson began playing when he was in elementary school and turned professional in 1998. He played on the development circuit for the next few years. He won the Master Tournament in 2007. In fact, he became the first player in PGA Tour history to win a Masters tournament while ranked outside the Top 50.
Henrik Stenson – $25 Million Net Worth
Henrik Stenson has a net worth of $25 million as a professional golfer from Sweden. He turned professional in 1998 and has won the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour, the Race to Dubai on the European Tour, and the PGA Tour four times. He’s gone on to represent Sweden in the prestigious World Cup series, in addition to all of his impressive achievements. We’re sure he’s quite pleased with himself.
Darren Clarke – $30 Million Net Worth
Darren Clarke is a professional golfer from Ireland who has a net worth of $30 million. He’s been playing golf since he was a child and continued to do so while at university. He eventually went pro in 1990. He went on to win the Alfred Dunhill Open in Belgium after that. That was his first European Tour victory, and it marked the beginning of his professional career. Following that, he won his second European Tour title at the Linde German Masters in 1996 and his first PGA Tour in 2000.
David Toms – $35 Million Net Worth
The American golfer was born in Monroe, Louisiana, and now has a net worth of $35 million. In 1991, he qualified for his first PGA Tour appearance after playing for his university’s golf team. He won the Quad Classic in 1996 and 1997. Since then, he’s won thirteen PGA Tour events and two Web.com Tour events. For his outstanding behavior and respect for the game, he received the Payne Stewart Award in 2011.