Magazine

Highest Paid Golfers 2017

For the first 12 years of the Golf Digest 50 all-encompassing money list, Tiger Woods was No. 1, usually by a wide margin. But reduced play because of injuries and the loss of more than half a dozen A-list endorsement partners after the 2009 scandal caught up to him in 2016, when he fell to No. 3 behind Jordan Spieth and Mickelson. This year, Woods is No. 4 behind Rory McIlroy, Arnold Palmer and Mickelson.
Related: The Rules Are Changing →

Photo by Illustration by Eddie Guy

COUNTING DOWN THE GOLF DIGEST 50

On-course income for 2016 includes all money earned on the PGA Tour and the five international tours (Japan PGA, PGA European, Australasian, Southern Africa, Asian) and the PGA Tour Champions, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and the Japan LPGA through Dec. 4, 2016. It includes unofficial money won in nontour events.Off-course income includes estimates of all money earned from endorsements, bonuses, appearance fees, corporate outings, speaking engagements, licensing fees (video games, trading cards, etc.), course architecture, books, instructional videos and businesses that capitalize on a person’s status as a player, such as product lines including clothing, wine and turfgrass. Investment income is not included.NR: Not ranked among the Golf Digest 50 in February 2016.Sources: Figures for the list were compiled through Golf Digest interviews with agents, players, executives of companies involved with endorsements, industry analysts and through the official money lists of the professional tours.

50.) PADRAIG HARRINGTON

PREVIOUS RANK: 49
ON COURSE: $1,269,786
OFF COURSE: $4,000,000
TOTAL: $5,269,786

49.) KEVIN NA

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $3,626,291
OFF COURSE: $1,650,000
TOTAL: $5,276,291

48.) BILL HAAS

PREVIOUS RANK: 45
ON COURSE: $2,766,699
OFF COURSE: $2,600,000
TOTAL: $5,366,699

47.) KEVIN CHAPPELL

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $5,101,050
OFF COURSE: $700,000
TOTAL: $5,801,050

46.) J.B. HOLMES

PREVIOUS RANK: 35
ON COURSE: $3,462,108
OFF COURSE: $2,400,000
TOTAL: $5,862,108

45.) KEVIN KISNER

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $3,709,354
OFF COURSE: $2,200,000
TOTAL: $5,909,354

44.) LYDIA KO

PREVIOUS RANK: 47
ON COURSE: $2,691,642
OFF COURSE: $3,250,000
TOTAL: $5,941,642

43.) JASON DUFNER

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $3,553,634
OFF COURSE: $2,400,000
TOTAL: $5,953,634

42.) WILLIAM MCGIRT

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $3,819,972
OFF COURSE: $2,200,000
TOTAL: $6,019,972

41.) BROOKS KOEPKA

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $4,073,393
OFF COURSE: $2,000,000
TOTAL: $6,073,393

40.) JUSTIN THOMAS

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $4,416,366
OFF COURSE: $2,050,000
TOTAL: $6,466,366

39.) LUKE DONALD

PREVIOUS RANK: 38
ON COURSE: $1,829,812
OFF COURSE: $4,800,000
TOTAL: $6,629,812

38.) DAVIS LOVE III

PREVIOUS RANK: 27
ON COURSE: $417,319
OFF COURSE: $6,250,000
TOTAL: $6,667,319

37.) PAUL CASEY

PREVIOUS RANK: 43
ON COURSE: $5,033,060
OFF COURSE: $2,000,000
TOTAL: $7,033,060

36.) FRED COUPLES

PREVIOUS RANK: 29
ON COURSE: $225,229
OFF COURSE: $7,500,000
TOTAL: $7,725,229

35.) MARTIN KAYMER

PREVIOUS RANK: 31
ON COURSE: $1,781,000
OFF COURSE: $6,000,000
TOTAL: $7,781,000

34.) DANNY WILLETT

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $5,287,365
OFF COURSE: $2,550,000
TOTAL: $7,837,365

33.) ZACH JOHNSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 15
ON COURSE: $2,124,953
OFF COURSE: $5,750,000
TOTAL: $7,874,953

32.) MIGUEL A. JIMENEZ

PREVIOUS RANK: 33
ON COURSE: $1,950,147
OFF COURSE: $6,000,000
TOTAL: $7,950,147

31.) TOM WATSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 24
ON COURSE: $147,888
OFF COURSE: $8,000,000
TOTAL: $8,147,888

30.) RUSSELL KNOX

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $6,097,590
OFF COURSE: $2,075,000
TOTAL: $8,172,590

29.) JIM FURYK

PREVIOUS RANK: 17
ON COURSE: $1,613,204
OFF COURSE: $6,650,000
TOTAL: $8,263,204

28.) NICK FALDO

PREVIOUS RANK: 25
ON COURSE: $43,500
OFF COURSE: $8,250,000
TOTAL: $8,293,500

27.) BRANDEN GRACE

PREVIOUS RANK: NR
ON COURSE: $4,642,376
OFF COURSE: $3,700,000
TOTAL: $8,342,376

26.) LEE WESTWOOD

PREVIOUS RANK: 30
ON COURSE: $1,950,964
OFF COURSE: $6,550,000
TOTAL: $8,500,964

25.) ERNIE ELS

PREVIOUS RANK: 23
ON COURSE: $652,143
OFF COURSE: $8,000,000
TOTAL: $8,652,143

24.) BRANDT SNEDEKER

PREVIOUS RANK: 28
ON COURSE: $4,735,142
OFF COURSE: $4,000,000
TOTAL: $8,735,14

23.) GRAEME MCDOWELL

PREVIOUS RANK: 39
ON COURSE: $3,011,088
OFF COURSE: $5,800,000
TOTAL: $8,811,088

22.) JIMMY WALKER

PREVIOUS RANK: 26
ON COURSE: $4,657,546
OFF COURSE: $4,200,000
TOTAL: $8,857,546

21.) JUSTIN ROSE

PREVIOUS RANK: 9
ON COURSE: $2,314,365
OFF COURSE: $7,200,000
TOTAL: $9,514,365

20.) COLIN MONTGOMERIE

PREVIOUS RANK: 21
ON COURSE: $2,242,045
OFF COURSE: $7,500,000
TOTAL: $9,742,045

19.) GREG NORMAN

PREVIOUS RANK: 14
ON COURSE: —
OFF COURSE: $10,000,000
TOTAL: $10,000,000

18.) BERNHARD LANGER

PREVIOUS RANK: 19
ON COURSE: $4,152,459
OFF COURSE: $6,250,000
TOTAL: $10,402,459

17.) PATRICK REED

PREVIOUS RANK: 36
ON COURSE: $8,348,461
OFF COURSE: $2,750,000
TOTAL: $11,098,461

16.) BUBBA WATSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 11
ON COURSE: $4,852,842
OFF COURSE: $6,300,000
TOTAL: $11,152,842

15.) MATT KUCHAR

PREVIOUS RANK: 20
ON COURSE: $4,597,178
OFF COURSE: $6,750,000
TOTAL: $11,347,178

14.) SERGIO GARCIA

PREVIOUS RANK: 16
ON COURSE: $3,845,425
OFF COURSE: $8,500,000
TOTAL: $12,345,425

13.) RICKIE FOWLER

PREVIOUS RANK: 8
ON COURSE: $3,328,563
OFF COURSE: $9,100,000
TOTAL: $12,428,563

12.) HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

PREVIOUS RANK: 22
ON COURSE: $5,576,454
OFF COURSE: $8,000,000
TOTAL: $13,576,454

11.) HENRIK STENSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 12
ON COURSE: $6,941,923
OFF COURSE: $7,250,000
TOTAL: $14,191,923

10.) GARY PLAYER

PREVIOUS RANK: 10
ON COURSE: —
OFF COURSE: $15,000,000
TOTAL: $15,000,000

9.) ADAM SCOTT

PREVIOUS RANK: 18
ON COURSE: $8,160,920
OFF COURSE: $6,900,000
TOTAL: $15,060,920

8.) JASON DAY

PREVIOUS RANK: 7
ON COURSE: $8,845,112
OFF COURSE: $10,750,000
TOTAL: $19,595,112

7.) DUSTIN JOHNSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 13
ON COURSE: $12,664,185
OFF COURSE: $7,100,000
TOTAL: $19,764,185

6.) JACK NICKLAUS

PREVIOUS RANK: 6
ON COURSE: $42,000
OFF COURSE: $20,000,000
TOTAL: $20,042,000

5.) JORDAN SPIETH

PREVIOUS RANK: 1
ON COURSE: $6,403,470
OFF COURSE: $24,000,000
TOTAL: $30,403,470

4.) TIGER WOODS

PREVIOUS RANK: 3
ON COURSE: $107,000
OFF COURSE: $34,607,000
TOTAL: $34,607,000

3.) PHIL MICKELSON

PREVIOUS RANK: 2
ON COURSE: $4,267,628
OFF COURSE: $33,500,000
TOTAL: $37,767,628

2.) ARNOLD PALMER

PREVIOUS RANK: 5
ON COURSE: —
OFF COURSE: $40,000,000
TOTAL: $40,000,000

1.) RORY MCILROY

PREVIOUS RANK: 4
ON COURSE: $17,514,505
OFF COURSE: $32,000,000
TOTAL: $49,514,505