Voice over: Michael Robles
Writer: Tim Schmitt
Video editor: Lance Keller
Who earned the
most money in
2023: PGA Tour or
LIV Golf players?
Whatever the future of LIV Golf, whether an agreement is
reached to partner with the PGA Tour or the Saudi-backed
league remains separate and continues to play nemesis
and antagonist to the tour, the mark has been made.
The final numbers on the PGA Tour money list for 2023
are a direct result of LIV forcing the Tour to increase
purses and find more avenues for its players to boost
income. Those increases across the board have the tour’s
top earners surpassing their LIV counterparts when it
comes to prize money.
Of course, the biggest payday for most of those who
defected from the PGA Tour to LIV was the initial contract,
or signing bonus. This includes a handful of players such
as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka,
Dustin Johnson
,
Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith whose contracts
exceeded $100 million.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour handed out more than $560
million in prize money in 2023, including $100 million for
the Player Impact Program and $75 million for the Tour
Championship. The PIP money goes to the top 20 players
who boosted engagement and publicity for the tour.
LIV’s total purse increased to $405 million in Year 2 of its
existence. LIV’s purse includes $115 million in team prize
money and $30 million split between the top three in the
seasonlong individual race.
The LIV schedule includes 14 events compared to 38 on
the PGA Tour. Still, the top earners on Tour play around
20 events, some as few as 18, others 23. LIV golfers who
qualify for the four majors play at least 18 events. And
every golfer enters a handful of tournaments on other
tours.
LIV certainly got the attention of the PGA Tour with its
massive contracts and increased purses, forcing the tour
to dramatically up its prize money game. The Tour’s total
prize money has risen substantially since 2021 when it
was just under $400 million.
While the threat of more players defecting to LIV certainly
played a factor, that money had to come from somewhere.
Besides leaning on sponsors to help with the eight
signature events with $20 million purses, the Tour
received an infusion of money with nine-year media deals
with CBS, NBC and ESPN that started in 2022.
The 2023 money list was finalized after distributing the PIP
money. The top 10 made about $220 million combined
compared with LIV’s top 10, who earned approximately
$147 million in prize money.
LIV’s totals include each individual’s slice from the
season-ending $50 million team event at Doral, but not the
$5 million awarded to the top three teams in each of the
other 13 events. The captains of each team determine
how much of that money goes to the four players and how
much goes into the team pot for operating fees.
PGA Tour (led by Hovland) vs. LIV
Viktor Hovland celebrates with the FedEx Cup after
winning the 2023 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf
Club in Atlanta. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Viktor Hovland topped the PGA Tour money list this year,
bringing in $37.1 million, about $1 million more than LIV’s
biggest earner, Talor Gooch.
Hovland’s breakdown was $14.1 from tournament
winnings, $18 million for winning the FedEx Cup and $5
million for the PIP.
Gooch won $17.3 million over 14 events, plus $18 million
for capturing the individual title and $800,000 for his share
from the team competition at Doral. Gooch was a member
of RangeGoats, which finished second.
Hovland was followed by Rory McIlroy, who earned $32.9
million, $15 million coming from winning the PIP’s top
prize; Scottie Scheffler, who made a tour-record $21
million before bonuses brought his total to $29 million; Jon
Rahm at $26.2 million, including $16.2 million on tour and
$9 million from the PIP; and Xander Schauffele at $17.9
million.
The top five earners on LIV this year were Gooch, Smith
($23.2 million), Koepka ($17.7 million), DeChambeau
($14.7 million) and Harold Varner III ($9.9 million).
Smith pocketed $8 million as runner-up in the individual
race behind Gooch. Koepka placed third, taking home the
$4 million bonus.
Hovland, Scheffler and Schauffele each made 23 starts on
the PGA Tour, Rahm played in 20 tour events and McIlroy
18.
Smith, Koepka and DeChambeau played 14 LIV events
and four majors each. Gooch qualified for three majors
and Varner was in two.
Koepka was LIV’s top earner among those who played in
the majors, making $5.1 million, including $3.15 million for
winning the PGA Championship.
