Golf’s financial rise reached new heights in 2025, with six players included in Sportico’s annual list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes.
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In a big surprise, Tiger Woods is out of the top 40, as the LIV Golf deals and the rise in PGA Tour prize money reshape the sport’s earnings picture.
Golfers on the list of highest paid athletes in 2025
According to Sportico, the six golfers combined for more than $430 million in earnings this year. The list includes three players from LIV Golf and three from the PGA Tour, showing how both sides are generating record winnings at the top of the game.
Here is the complete list of golfers who appeared in Sportico’s 2025 rankings:
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Jon Rahm — Tenth — $100.7 million — LIV Golf (Legion XIII)
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Rory McIlroy — 14th — $91.2 million — PGA Tour
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Scotty Scheffler — 16th — $82.9 million — PGA Tour
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Bryson DeChambeau – 23 – $62.7 million – LIV Golf (Crushers GC)
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tiger forest — 41st — $55 million — PGA Tour
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Joaquin Niemann – 63rd – $47.2 million – LIV Golf (Torque GC)
Jon Rahm leads all golfers on the list, ranking 10th overall with $100.7 million in total earnings. His contract with LIV Golf for 2023 remains one of the biggest deals in professional sports.
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Just behind him, Rory McIlroy is in 14th place with $91.2 million, boosted by his career Grand Slam, while Scottie Scheffler’s $82.9 million puts him in 16th place after another dominant PGA season.
LIV’s influence is even clear further down the list. Bryson DeChambeau earned $62.7 million to rank 23rd, while Joaquin Niemann ranked 63rd with $47.2 million, both benefiting from guaranteed contracts and growing endorsement deals.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods fell to 41st place with $55 million, most of it coming from endorsements, his Sun Day Red brand and the TGL virtual golf league.
The new financial era of golf
The 2025 rankings highlight how golf has become one of the world’s highest-grossing sports, more so than ever before.
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The split between PGA and LIV golfers shows two different models (traditional prize money and sponsorships versus guaranteed contracts and team equity), both driving profits more than ever.
Tiger Woods’ fall out of the top 40 marks a generational change. The new names at the top reflect a sport that now rivals football, basketball and Formula One in terms of earning potential.
With guaranteed LIV deals and rising PGA payouts, golf’s financial growth shows no signs of slowing.
Read more: PGA Tour winner gives surprising verdict on Brooks Koepka after his time at LIV