Top 5 Wealthiest Golfers of All Time

Most professional athletes of today are known for their huge paychecks and payouts. From the NFL to the NBA, to Tennis and Golf.

The pro sports industry has become a multi trillion-dollar industry, especially with the addition of paid collegiate sports. In 2022, pro sports globally accounted for profits of over ~$400 billion.

By 2028, that number is expected to grow to over $650 billion.

Of course, team sports are a main reason that the industry has become as vast as it has, with Soccer and American Football leading the financial charge for decades.

However, there are plenty of individual competitor sports, like Golf, that can result in pros earning multi-millions in tournament appearances and even more for wins.

Unlike with other sports however, where players are expected to meet a certain criteria to meet the requirements of their large contracts, the wealthiest golfers actually obtained their fortunes outside the gates of the course.

Golf isn’t just a sport, it is a past time. People find it interesting because while they may not have the talent of a pro, most people are more likely to play golf casually, then they are to play other sports without commitment.

Because of this fact, there have been numerous pro-golfers that have now hit $1 billion+ net worth.

For other sports, there tends to be one or two athletes to overcome the $1 billion net worth status, with Lebron James being the first one to do it in his respective sport.

With golfers, they tend to cash in a majority of their personal values, through endorsement deals, sponsors, investments and starting their own businesses.

Let’s break down the finances of the Top 5 wealthiest pro golfers in history and how they took their on the course winnings and flipped them into generational empires.

We will look at the active earnings, business holdings, and investment portfolios of the richest golfers of all time.

1. Tiger Woods: $1.85+ Billion Net Worth

Tiger Woods isn’t just the greatest golfer of all time. he’s also one of the richest athletes in history.

While his on-course earnings are the highest in PGA history, his endorsement empire, business ventures, and real estate holdings make up over 90% of his fortune.

📌Career Earnings & Tournament Winnings

• Total Career Winnings: $121 million (highest in PGA history).
• Largest Single Payday: 2024 PGA Tour (PIP) $10 million
• LIV Golf Offer Declined: $700M–$800 million (legacy over cash).

📌Endorsement Deals & Sponsorships

• Nike (1996-2024): Over $500 million earned.
• Bridgestone Golf, Rolex, Monster Energy, TaylorMade, Full Swing Golf.
• Gatorade Tiger Line (2008-2010): $100 million deal.
• EA Sports (1999-2013): Estimated $200 million+ in royalties accrued.

📌Investments, Assets & Business Ventures

• TGR Ventures: (Golf course design, real estate, restaurants, tech). The company is estimated in the hundreds of millions range as of 2025.
• Golf Course Design Projects: Bluejack National (TX), El Cardonal.
• Restaurant Empire: The Woods Jupiter (Florida).
• Equity Stakes in Golf Tech Companies: Full Swing Golf, PopStroke.

📌Real Estate & Holdings

• Jupiter Island Mansion (FL): $54 million estate
  (private golf course, dock for a yacht).
• California & Bahamas Properties: Combined worth over $80 million.
• Private Jet: Gulfstream G550 ($54 million).

As of 2025, Tiger Woods has cemented himself in sports history.

He is the best player to pick up a club in history, while also being the first pro golfer to surpass the $1 billion+ net worth mark.

Even with the drama that Tiger has seen throughout his career from his personal life, he has managed to overcome the odds of cancellation and controversy and remain one of the wealthiest athletes in the world.

Regardless of your opinions on the man himself, Woods is a mogul in the financial field.

There are an overwhelming amount of top athletes, who will never see their value rise about $1 billion.

It is a feat that is set only by the best business men and women that the world has to offer.

📌2025 Net Worth Trend: 🔼UP

2. Arnold Palmer: $850+ Million Net Worth (RIP)

Arnold Palmer wasn’t just a golfer, he was a brand-building genius.

His endorsement deals set the blueprint for modern athlete marketing.

📌Career Earnings & Tournament Winnings

• Total Career Winnings: $3 million (small by today’s standards).
• Major Wins: 7

📌Endorsement Deals & Sponsorships

• Rolex, Cadillac, Pennzoil, Hertz, MasterCard.
• Arnold Palmer Beverages (Arizona Iced Tea).

📌 Investments, Assets & Business Ventures

• Arnold Palmer Enterprises: Managed branding, licensing, golf courses.
• Golf Course Design: Designed over 300 courses.
• Merchandise & Licensing: Millions in annual revenue from his name.

Rest In Peace, Arnold Palmer.
(1929-2016)

Despite the Golf Legends death in 2016 at age 87, Palmer established generational wealth prior to his passing.

While he is not able to push the Palmer name further, the estate still maintains hundreds of millions, that unless spent foolishly, will setup the golfers families, families, families family.

Arnold Palmer is another amazing showing of taking a more or less “small” career earnings compared to the payouts and deals of today, into amassing wealth that is unfathomable to even the “common” millionaire.

From ~$3-$4 million in career pro golf earnings at the time of his retirement in 2006, he leveraged his name to brand a drink that is beloved by most, even if they don’t know the person behind it.

Everyone loves a good “Arnold Palmer” (Half Sweet Tea, Half Lemonade) on a hot summer day. Whether you are golfing, playing baseball, running, or relaxing on the back porch, the drink has become widely popularized throughout the last century and is synonymous with the legend Arnold Palmer himself.

While Arnold Palmer will likely fall off of this list within the next few decades, his ability to ~300x his money throughout his life is astonishing.

Compared to the empire of wealth Palmer amassed prior to his death, ~$3M-$4M is still the type of money 95% of people in the USA, let alone globally, can only dream about.

Palmer began playing pro golf in 1955, winning the Canadian Open for his first of seven career majors wins.

Had the legend been given his entire career earnings in 1955, it would be the equivalent of ~$35.3M in 2025. This is still 60x LESS than the wealth Palmer actually collected in his lifetime.

It is safe to say that Arnold Palmer was not just a great golfer, he was also a financial mogul, before the time of alpha males, gurus and courses.

He will live in the hearts of all golf fans forever, remain a legend to the sport of golf itself as long as it is continued to be played, and his name will be said throughout the future as people continue to sip an “Arnold Palmer” on a hot summer night.

Rest in peace, Mr. Palmer.

📌 2025 Net Worth Trend: 🔽DOWN

3. Phil Mickelson: $700+ Million Net Worth

Phil Mickelson’s wealth skyrocketed after signing a $200 million deal with LIV Golf in 2022.

His off-course earnings were already elite, but LIV doubled his career earnings overnight.

1992–2002

Mickelson turned pro in 1992 and spent the 90’s consistently finishing in the top of the competition.

He was a top player, but he did not outright win any championships during this time.

However, he was able to secure endorsements with brands such as Callaway Rolex, Ford and others, that brought his estimated net worth to ~$40 million by 2000.

2002–2012

In the 2002-2012 decade, Mickelson finally broke out of his championship slump, winning his first major at the 2004 Masters.

He then followed his first win with a back-to-back Masters win in 2005, as well as winning the 2005 PGA Tour and the 2010 Masters.

Mickelson went from a top finisher, to a four time champion by 2012, dominating both the Masters and PGA Tours.

His endorsement portfolio expanded, now adding ExxonMobil and Barclays, with an estimated net worth of ~$200 million.

2012–2022

Between 2012 and 2022, Mickelson won another major at the 2013 Open Championship, and expanded his personal business ventures into golf course design, coffee companies and equity deals within other startups.

However, he also suffered gambling losses during this time, which negatively affected his net worth.

In 2022, he signed with LIV golf, on a $200 million contract. By the end of 2022, despite his gambling losses, his net worth exceeded ~$400 million.

2022–2025

In the last three years, his earnings and net worth have continued to climb. While he lost some of his endorsements, his guaranteed payouts from LIV was estimated per reports to ~$50 million or more annually, which kept his financial position in tact and climbing.

As of 2025, he is now pushing a net worth estimated to be in the $500-$550 million range.

📌Career Earnings & Tournament Winnings

• Total Career Winnings: $95 million.
• Largest Single Payday: 2021 PGA Championship, $2.16 million.
• LIV Golf Signing Bonus: $200M (upfront, fully guaranteed payment).
• LIV Earnings: An additional $40 million+ in winnings + bonuses.

📌Endorsement Deals & Sponsorships

• Former Callaway, KPMG, Workday sponsor dropped after move to LIV.
• Rolex, Amstel Light, Grayhawk Golf Club, Mizzen+Main apparel.
• Coffee For Wellness Brand (founded in 2020).

📌Investments, Assets & Business Ventures

• Golf Course Design: Designed multiple courses, including Mickelson National (Canada).
• Private Equity: Silent investor in multiple sports & media companies.
• Crypto & Gambling: Lost over $40 million in sports betting (1990s-2020s), but still a high-stakes investor.

While many of us non athletes cannot even fathom having $40 million to our name, let alone losing $40 million, the fact that Mickelson is still worth over $550 million+, shows his true financial prowess.

📌Real Estate & Holdings

• Rancho Santa Fe Mansion (CA): Sold for $5.7M in 2020.
• Florida Estate: Worth $15M+.
• Golf Club Ownership Stakes: Whisper Rock (AZ), Stone Canyon (AZ).

Mickelson is now age 54, however in pro golf, the years of productivity tend to not shorten with age, as seen in other professional atmosphere’s, where your body is being damaged from both contact and natural wear and tear.

For golfers, since the sport is primarily technique, Mickelson can look to continue dominating the sport for well over another decade if he chooses to, almost certainly continuing to grow his net worth exponentially.

By 2035, Mickelson may retire as a HOF legend in his sport, while having amassed billions of dollars and creating generational wealth that will live past his own departure from the world.

📌 2025 Net Worth Trend: 🔼UP

4. Greg Norman: $500+ Million Net Worth

Greg Norman built a business empire off his golf success, including real estate, wines, and LIV Golf involvement.

📌Career Earnings & Tournament Winnings

• Total Career Winnings: $14.5 million+
• Major Wins: 2

📌Endorsement Deals & Sponsorships

• Rolex, Cobra Golf, Adidas, QBE Insurance.

📌Investments, Assets & Business Ventures

• Greg Norman Golf Course Design (100+ courses).
• Greg Norman Wines: Sold millions of bottles worldwide.
• LIV Golf CEO: Played a key role in the Saudi-backed league.

📌 Real Estate & Holdings

• Jupiter Island, FL Mansion: Worth ~$55 million.

While Greg Norman may not be remembered as one of the greatest golfers to ever swing a club when he retires, he does sit firmly at the fifth spot for wealthiest pro golfer in history, for now.

Norman began his pro career in 1976, nearly 50 years ago and has won 2 Majors and collected roughly $14.5 million throughout his pro tenure.

While his career earnings are nothing to scoff at by any means, the now 70-year old has surpassed the $500M net worth mark, meaning he has ~35x his money over the last five decades.

Greg Norman was able to amass his generational wealth through the leverage of business, starting a wine company that is valued in the hundreds of millions range, as well as taking a page from Nicklaus.

📌 2025 Net Worth Trend: 🔼UP

5. Jack Nicklaus: $400+ Million Net Worth

Jack Nicklaus wasn’t just a legendary golfer. He’s one of the wisest businessmen in sports history.

His golf course design empire is what made him a billionaire.

📌Career Earnings & Tournament Winnings

• Total Career Winnings: $5.7 million (not much by today’s standards).
• Largest Single Payday: 1986 Masters – $144,000.
• Major Wins (18): Most in golf history.

📌Endorsement Deals & Sponsorships

• Rolex, Perry Ellis, NetJets, AIG Insurance.
• Golf balls, apparel, equipment.

📌Investments, Assets & Business Ventures

• Nicklaus Design: Over 410 courses in 45 countries.
• Nicklaus Companies: $150 million+ in annual revenue.
• Restaurant & Hospitality Investments: The Bear’s Club (private golf community).

📌Real Estate & Holdings

• Jupiter, FL Estate: Valued at $20 million+.
• Luxury Golf Communities: Owns shares in multiple golf resorts.

The way that Niklaus grew his personal wealth into a generational empire, can be seen as more difficult than the top players of today.

Unlike in the game of today, where top golfers are receiving $100 million+ contracts from endorsements and partnerships, as well as millions for competitions, the era of Jack Niklaus was not as such.

He earned just under $6 million in his career, yet he has grown that into a $1 billion+ net worth over the past several decades. While his growth to #3 was slow and took time, the way Nicklaus was able to skyrocket his net worth, shows the amazing business acumen that he had.

Today, people in 45 countries are golfing on a course funded and built by Nicklaus Design, possibly without even realizing it.

Nicklaus is now 85 years old, so while he is now tied with Mickelson for estimated total net worth at ~$400 million, he likely has less time to continue building his wealth than Mickelson, which is why he gets the third spot on the Top 5 wealthiest golfers of all time.

📌2025 Net Worth Trend: 🔁Steady

Who’s Really the Richest?

Tiger Woods is untouchable at #1.

Mickelson, Nicklaus, and Palmer all built business empires, but Tiger dominates in every aspect.

Want Every APSM Report In One Place?

The APSM Master Report Bundle includes all current APSM reports:

• Travis Hunter’s 2025 Net Worth Valuation
• Tyrese Haliburton’s 2025 Net Worth Valuation
• 7 Ways Athletes Build Wealth
• 7 Ways Athletes Go Broke
• (Will Include future additions of reports as APSM grows)

You’ll Get:

• Deep financial literacy designed through a sports lens
• Net Worth projections, contract forecasts & tax modeling
• Wealth frameworks & risk analysis
• Lifetime value mapping for both athletes and professionals

The most valuable way to learn the game of money through APSM.

Next Reads

• Tiger Woods’ Billion-Dollar Golf Empire
• Arnold Palmer’s $850 Million Golf Legacy
• Phil Mickelson’s $700 Million Golf Empire
• Greg Norman’s $500 Million Golf Business Empire
• Jack Nicklaus’ $400 Million Golf Legacy

Credits

Written by: Aidan Anderson
Research and Analysis: Apostle Sports Media LLC
Sources: Forbes, Golf Digest, Sportico, Various
Social Media Clips From: X – PGA Tour, ESPN Golf Account
Featured Image: Public / Domain Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This article contains general financial information for educational purposes and does not constitute as professional advice.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
– 2 Peter 1:3