Tiger Woods remains huge draw ahead of U.S. Open after $55M boost

Tiger Woods won’t feature at the U.S. Open as he continues to recover from his ruptured Achilles tendon injury, which he suffered while practicing earlier this yearTiger Woods remains huge draw ahead of U.S. Open after $55M boost(Image: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods is set to miss his third straight major when he does not tee off at Oakmont’s U.S. Open on Thursday (June 12) but the golfing great continues to win off the course.

The 49-year-old has battled injuries throughout the second half of his illustrious career, currently continuing rehab from a torn Achilles earlier this year. But, despite not playing in an official PGA event since the 2024 Open Championship in July of last year, Woods made the cut in Forbes’ highest-earning golfer’s list for 2025. Woods has offered up his assessment of the U.S. Open course, suggesting it could play into Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau’s hands.

Forbes dropped the list a day before the U.S. Open starts, with three-time champion Woods ranking fourth on the list in part thanks to his TMRW Golf League (TGL) events that he formed alongside McIlroy.

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The ranking also comes following the end of a 27-year partnership with Nike.

Still, the 15-time major winner was able to amass $10 million on the course and $45 million in earnings away from it, combining for a cool $55million.

Woods remains arguably the largest name in golf, and one of the few superstars not to jump ship from the PGA Tour to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf venture, despite DeChambeau teasing the option is still there.

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LIV reportedly offered Tiger a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer to become the face of the project, according to CEO Greg Norman but Woods declined.

It is understood that the nine-figure sum likely ranged between $700 million and $800 million, which would have dwarfed the current largest contract, believed to be Jon Rahm’s $450 million sum.

Rahm topped the Forbes list for golfing earnings in 2025 as the 30-year-old Spaniard earned $92 million on the course and $10 million off it, $102 million in total.

PGA’s headlining acts Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy ranked second and third for earnings with $97 million and $84 million respectively.

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As for Woods’ on-course situation, he confirmed in March that he had underwent a successful surgery to mend his left Achilles after feeling “a sharp pain” during training.

The golfing legend has not yet given a date for a potential return, adding that he will “focus on my recovery and rehab,” before rushing back to competition.

Elsewhere, for the upcoming U.S. Open, current world number one, Scottie Scheffler is the rightful favorite to win at Oakmont.

But, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau will hope to have a say in proceedings as some experts tip him to retain his crown.