Golf’s Top Earners
Off-course endorsements require more time and effort from players, but many are still doing quite well
How it did: On-course income includes all money earned on the PGA Tour and the five international tours (Japan PGA, PGA European, Australasian, Southern Africa, Asian) and the Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and the Japan LPGA. It also includes unofficial money won through Dec. 11 in non-tour 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.
GOLF DIGEST 50
1. Tiger Woods
2011 RANK: 1 | ON COURSE: $2,067,059 | OFF COURSE: $62,000,000 | TOTAL:$64,067,059
2. Phil Mickelson
2011 RANK: 2 | ON COURSE: $3,991,564 | OFF COURSE: $38,000,000 | TOTAL:$41,991,564
3. Arnold Palmer
2011 RANK: 3 | ON COURSE: $0 | OFF COURSE: $36,000,000 | TOTAL:$36,000,000
4. Jack Nicklaus
2011 RANK: 5 | ON COURSE: $155,000 | OFF COURSE: $28,800,000 | TOTAL:$28,955,000
5. Greg Norman
2011 RANK: 4 | ON COURSE: $75,118 | OFF COURSE: $22,750,000 | TOTAL:$22,825,118
6. Luke Donald
2011 RANK: 10 | ON COURSE: $13,183,497 | OFF COURSE: $8,500,000 | TOTAL:$21,683,497
7. Ernie Els
2011 RANK: 7 | ON COURSE: $1,409,442 | OFF COURSE: $17,000,000 | TOTAL:$18,409,442
8. Gary Player
2011 RANK: 8 | ON COURSE: $14,486 | OFF COURSE: $16,000,000 | TOTAL:$16,014,486
9. Sergio Garcia
2011 RANK: 11 | ON COURSE: $3,601,441 | OFF COURSE: $12,250,000 | TOTAL:$15,851,441
10. Bill Haas
2011 RANK: NR* | ON COURSE: $14,354,785 | OFF COURSE: $1,000,000 | TOTAL:$15,354,785
11. Rory McIlroy
2011 RANK: 24 | ON COURSE: $8,174,832 | OFF COURSE: $5,900,000 | TOTAL:$14,074,832
12. Lee Westwood
2011 RANK: 9 | ON COURSE: $5,062,181 | OFF COURSE: $7,100,000 | TOTAL:$12,162,181
13. K.J. Choi
2011 RANK: 33 | ON COURSE: $5,210,147 | OFF COURSE: $6,000,000 | TOTAL:$11,210,147
14. Adam Scott
2011 RANK: 20 | ON COURSE: $4,336,919 | OFF COURSE: $6,500,000 | TOTAL:$10,836,919
15. Matt Kuchar
2011 RANK: 1 | ON COURSE: $6,724,343 | OFF COURSE: $4,000,000 | TOTAL:$10,724,343
16. Webb Simpson
2011 RANK: NR* | ON COURSE: $9,567,934 | OFF COURSE: $650,000 TOTAL:$10,217,934
17. Dustin Johnson
2011 RANK: 28 | ON COURSE: $5,965,559 | OFF COURSE: $3,950,000 | TOTAL:$9,915,559
18. Padraig Harrington
2011 RANK: 12 | ON COURSE: $1,299,425 | OFF COURSE: $8,500,000 | TOTAL:$9,799,425
19. Ryo Ishikawa
2011 RANK: 26 | ON COURSE: $1,598,444 | OFF COURSE: $8,000,000 | TOTAL:$9,598,444
20. Darren Clarke
2011 RANK: NR* | ON COURSE: $2,541,194 | OFF COURSE: $6,250,000 | TOTAL:$8,791,194
21. Graeme McDowell
2011 RANK: 14 | ON COURSE: $3,086,977 | OFF COURSE: $5,700,000 | TOTAL:$8,786,977
22. Jim Furyk
2011 RANK: 6 | ON COURSE: $1,954,099 | OFF COURSE: $6,750,000 | TOTAL:$8,704,099
23. Nick Watney
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $6,080,052 | OFF COURSE: $2,400,000 | TOTAL:$8,480,052
24. Davis Love III
2011 RANK: 19 | ON COURSE: $1,212,219 | OFF COURSE: $7,250,000 | TOTAL:$8,462,219
25. Tom Watson
2011 RANK: 31 | ON COURSE: $1,033,234 | OFF COURSE: $7,350,000 | TOTAL:$8,383,234
26. Keegan Bradley
2011 RANK: NR* | ON COURSE: $5,240,318 | OFF COURSE: $3,100,000 | TOTAL:$8,340,318
27. Justin Rose
2011 RANK: 32 | ON COURSE: $5,294,883 | OFF COURSE: $3,000,000 | TOTAL:$8,294,883
28. Hunter Mahan
2011 RANK: 30 | ON COURSE: $4,875,633 | OFF COURSE: $3,250,000 | TOTAL:$8,125,633
29. Steve Stricker
2011 RANK: 22 | ON COURSE: $4,474,163 | OFF COURSE: $3,600,000 | TOTAL:$8,074,163
30. Charl Schwartzel
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $5,241,615 | OFF COURSE: $2,450,000 | TOTAL:$7,691,615
31. David Toms
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $4,200,220 | OFF COURSE: $3,400,000 | TOTAL:$7,600,220
32. Martin Kaymer
2011 RANK: 16 | ON COURSE: $5,175,564 | OFF COURSE: $2,300,000 | TOTAL:$7,475,564
33. Fred Couples
2011 RANK: 17 | ON COURSE: $1,654,809 | OFF COURSE: $5,750,000 | TOTAL:$7,404,809
34. Nick Faldo
2011 RANK: 29 | ON COURSE: $84,000 | OFF COURSE: $7,250,000 | TOTAL:$7,334,000
35. Colin Montgomerie
2011 RANK: 36 | ON COURSE: $435,615 | OFF COURSE: $6,500,000 | TOTAL:$6,935,615
36. Camilo Villegas
2011 RANK: 13 | ON COURSE: $1,846,484 | OFF COURSE: $5,000,000 | TOTAL:$6,846,484
37. Vijay Singh
2011 RANK: 48 | ON COURSE: $2,731,050 | OFF COURSE: $3,850,000 | TOTAL:$6,581,050
38. Ian Poulter
2011 RANK: 18 | ON COURSE: $2,601,788 | OFF COURSE: $3,800,000 | TOTAL:$6,401,788
39. Zach Johnson
2011 RANK: 25 | ON COURSE: $2,971,487 | OFF COURSE: $3,350,000 | TOTAL:$6,321,487
40. Bubba Watson
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $3,965,805 | OFF COURSE: $2,300,000 | TOTAL:$6,265,805
41. Jason Day
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $4,483,699 | OFF COURSE: $1,750,000 | TOTAL:$6,233,699
42. Retief Goosen
2011 RANK: 27 | ON COURSE: $1,574,039 | OFF COURSE: $4,650,000 | TOTAL:$6,224,039
43. Miguel A. Jimenez
2011 RANK: 43 | ON COURSE: $2,161,290 | OFF COURSE: $3,750,000 | TOTAL:$5,911,290
44. Y.E. Yang
2011 RANK: 42 | ON COURSE: $2,861,591 | OFF COURSE: $3,000,000 | TOTAL:$5,861,591
45. Brandt Snedeker
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $4,476,909 | OFF COURSE: $1,350,000 | TOTAL:$5,826,909
46. Yani Tseng
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $3,521,713 | OFF COURSE: $2,250,000 | TOTAL:$5,771,713
47. Aaron Baddeley
2011 RANK: NR | ON COURSE: $3,591,105 | OFF COURSE: $2,050,000 | TOTAL:$5,641,105
48. Annika Sorenstam
2011 RANK: 39 | ON COURSE: $80,500 | OFF COURSE: $5,550,000 | TOTAL:$5,630,500
49. Anthony Kim
2011 RANK: 23 | ON COURSE: $2,346,842 | OFF COURSE: $3,250,000 | TOTAL:$5,596,842
50. Paula Creamer
2011 RANK: 41 | ON COURSE: $1,016,338 | OFF COURSE: $4,500,000 | TOTAL:$5,516,338NR: Not ranked among the Golf Digest 50 in February 2011.
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.
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