Which current stars are in the top 25?

There are many ways to judge a golfer. How good is his swing? Can he chip? Can he putt?

How many times has he won? And how many major championships has he lifted?

But golfers also like to remind us that they are doing a job, which means money rules.

So, who has won the most money on the PGA Tour?

Who’s in the top 25 on the all-time PGA Tour career money list?
1. Tiger Woods – $120,999,166

Is he the greatest of all time? Only Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus can challenge him in the modern era, and therefore it’s no surprise he leads the list, because the money on offer in the 1990s and 21st century was significantly more than that pair ever played for.

Woods largely drove the recent explosion of prize money off the back of 82 PGA Tour wins, which is the tied most in history. 15 of those were major championship triumphs. He also recorded 18 World Golf Championship victories and spent a record 683 weeks as the world number one.

2. Rory McIlroy – $107,145,766

The Northern Irishman has emerged as the biggest pull in the game in the post-Tiger era and has capitalised on the Woods-boosted purses. He’s won 29 PGA Tour titles, five of them 5 major championships (including the career grand slam). He’s also won two Players Championships, three World Golf Championships and spent 122 weeks as the world number one.

3. Phil Mickelson – $96,727,968

First, the good news: the lefty claimed 45 PGA Tour wins (eighth best of all time), six were majors, one was the Players Championship, and three were World Golf Championships. His career was magnificent. But what would he have compiled had his career not coincided with that of Tiger Woods?!

He spent 270 weeks as the world number two because of the GOAT and inevitably won fewer titles and less money as a consequence of their parallel careers.

4. Scottie Scheffler – $92,156,470

It is striking how quickly the current world number one has risen in this list. But there are three key factors: he wins a lot, he wins big events, and he is winning in an era of significant prize money post-LIV’s emergence.

He’s already spent 152 weeks as the world number one, has 17 PGA Tour wins, four of them are majors, and since reaching the PGA Tour in 2019, he has played 22 majors with 16 top 10s and four wins. Keep that up and he’ll overtake Woods – and soon.

5. Dustin Johnson – $75,695,066

A bit of a surprise to be this high, maybe, but in his career sweet spot, DJ was prolific. He landed 24 PGA Tour titles, two of them were major championships, and he spent 135 weeks as the world number one. To these riches, he has added more money by venturing to LIV and signing on for a rumoured $125 million.

6. Justin Rose – $73,167,517

The Englishman is a great grinder as well as a very fine golfer, and it seems absurd to think that he struggled to make a cut on the second tier when he first turned professional. He overcame those difficulties and has now been at the top of the sport for over two decades.

He has 12 PGA Tour wins, won the 2013 US Open and has also been second five times and third twice in majors. He spent 13 weeks as the world number one.

7. Jim Furyk – $71,507,269

Another great grinder and one whose swing was mocked by many, and yet it proved very profitable in an era when he was up against Woods and Mickelson.

He won 17 PGA Tour titles, landed the US Open in 2003, carded a 59 in the 2013 BMW Championship and a 58 in the 2016 Travellers Championship. He was the first golfer to go cub-60 twice on the PGA Tour.

8. Vijay Singh – $71,281,216

The grinder supreme. No one spent more time on the driving range, and boy, did it pay off. Another who spent his career up against Tiger Woods, but for a time he usurped him, spending 32 weeks as the world number one. He won 34 PGA Tour titles, including the 2000 Masters and the 1998 and 2004 PGA Championships.

9. Adam Scott – $69,705,648

The Aussie’s career is a lot like Justin Rose’s. They both emerged around the turn of the century, and they are both elegant and understated. Scott has 14 PGA Tour wins, including the 2013 Masters. He has twice been second in a major and three times third. He spent 11 weeks as the world number one.

10. Justin Thomas – $69,347,527

Early in his career, the Kentucky man was prolific. He’s now won 16 PGA Tour titles, including the PGA Championship in 2017 and 2022. He spent five weeks as the world number one, and in 2017, he shot a 59 on his way to winning the Sony Open.

PGA Tour all-time prize money list, 11th to 25th revealed

11. Jordan Spieth – $65,901,630

12. Jason Day – $64,595,524

13. Hideki Matsuyama – $61,453,309

14. Matt Kuchar – $61,166,988

15. Xander Schauffele – $60,532,009

16. Sergio Garcia – $55,097,412

17. Keegan Bradley – $54,670,847

18. Jon Rahm – $53,548,768

19. Rickie Fowler – $53,492,235

20. Patrick Cantlay – $53,209,933

21. Zach Johnson – $49,935,318