If there is one factor that PGA Tour and LIV Golf officials can agree on, it’s that professional golfers are earning more each season. Before 2020, it was almost unthinkable that a golfer would pocket prize money at par with an MLB icon. 

But Scottie Scheffler’s 2024 earnings are just $2M shy of Shohei Ohtani’s yearly pay from his contract. But is the world no. 1 also the no. 1 in the money game this year? The list of top-five highest-paid golfers is a bit more surprising.

Jon Rahm ($230M)

The Spaniard remains at the top of the list thanks to his $350 million contract with LIV Golf. Per a Forbes article, he has earned half of it upfront, giving him a massive edge. Jon Rahm has pocketed $38,350,866 this year, more than half of which ($18M) is a bonus for topping the season-long individual leaderboard. The two-time major winner also nabbed $57,200 for a T45 at the Masters and $451,833 for a T7 at the Open Championship. 

Scottie Scheffler ($82M)

If we solely go by on-course earnings this Dallas resident outmatches everyone. Scottie Scheffler’s seven PGA Tour wins and nine further top-tens have put over $29 million in his pocket. If you add the FedEx Cup bonus ($25M) and the COMCAST bonus ($8M), the world’s No. 1 golfer has earned more than $62.2M. Scheffler’s estimated off-course earning is $20M, which catapults him to second.

Tiger Woods ($67M)

This name might surprise you. But Tiger Woods’s off-course earnings top his on-course pay. Per this Forbes article from June, the 15-time major champion has earned $12M on the greens. It might include his appearance fees as well. Additionally, the 48-year-old has earned $55 million on sponsorships. On aggregate, Woods’s total $67M hasn’t changed much since June, considering the missed cuts at both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.

Rory McIlroy ($61.4M)

Like Woods, Rory McIlroy’s off-course earnings have launched him to the top five. McIlroy reportedly earns $45M in endorsements. This season the Ulsterman pocketed $10,893,790 from the PGA Tour and the majors. Add on top the $4.8M he earned from his 3rd place finish in the Comcast Top-ten leaderboard, and then another $1,608,333.33 as the FedEx Cup bonus. 

Bryson DeChambeau ($41M)

A phenomenal season with a contract worth over $125 million puts Bryson DeChambeau in the top five. The Crushers captain earns around $25M from his contract per year; he inked a 4 ½ year deal with the PIF-funded side. DeChambeau’s position is bolstered by strong performance in the majors, which included three top tens, including the US Open title. DeChambeau has earned over $15 million this season on the greens. Forbes put his off-court income at $1M. The two-time major winner lost some of his big-money sponsors for joining LIV.

So, in the money game, it appears that PGA Tour still has an edge over LIV Golf. Thank the $20M-purse Signature events, the FedEx Cup bonus pool, and the Comcast bonus for that. Note that this doesn’t include the PIP money, which is likely to propel the earnings by a considerable margin.