Rory McIlroy earned $18,334,567 less than Scottie Scheffler as 2024’s highest-earning golfers’ list revealed
Rory McIlroy was one of the highest earners in professional golf in 2024, but even his substantial earnings were dwarfed by those of Scottie Scheffler, who had a historic season. Scheffler’s dominance on the PGA Tour resulted in record-breaking earnings, leaving the rest of the field trailing by significant margins. Despite McIlroy’s many close calls…
Rory McIlroy was one of the highest earners in professional golf in 2024, but even his substantial earnings were dwarfed by those of Scottie Scheffler, who had a historic season. Scheffler’s dominance on the PGA Tour resulted in record-breaking earnings, leaving the rest of the field trailing by significant margins. Despite McIlroy’s many close calls in top tournaments, he still ended the year as one of golf’s wealthiest players.
Increased payouts in professional golf can be attributed in part to the formation of LIV Golf and the Saudi-backed SSG’s investment in the PGA Tour. This influx of money boosted prize pools across the sport. According to official figures reported by *Golf Monthly*, the top golfers of 2024 earned impressive sums from their in-tournament play.
Below are the top earners on the PGA Tour in 2024:
1. **Scottie Scheffler** – $29,228,357
Scheffler had an extraordinary season, winning seven events, including the Masters and six Signature Events, which offer larger prize pools. He made 19 starts, making the cut in every tournament, and finished in the top 10 in 16 of them.
2. **Xander Schauffele** – $18,355,910
Despite winning two Major titles— the PGA Championship and The Open Championship— Schauffele finished nearly $11 million behind Scheffler. His consistency throughout the year helped secure his runner-up position on the earnings list.
3. **Hideki Matsuyama** – $11,237,611
Matsuyama had a solid season, highlighted by a victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, propelling him into third place on the money list.
4. **Wyndham Clark** – $10,901,416
Clark enjoyed a breakout year, earning just over $10.9 million thanks to multiple high finishes and strong performances in key events.
5. **Rory McIlroy** – $10,893,790
McIlroy didn’t win a Major in 2024 but came in second at the US Open and won the Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship. These results secured him fifth place on the earnings list.
6. **Ludvig Aberg** – $9,728,857
Aberg continued to impress as one of the sport’s rising stars, with a strong season that brought in nearly $10 million.
7. **Collin Morikawa** – $8,365,977
Morikawa remained a top contender throughout the year, earning over $8 million with consistent finishes across multiple tournaments.
8. **Sahith Theegala** – $8,281,285
Theegala’s breakthrough season saw him finish inside the top 10 on the earnings list, taking home more than $8 million.
9. **Keegan Bradley** – $6,879,455
Bradley had a strong year, consistently competing in the top 10 and earning close to $7 million in prize money.
10. **Patrick Cantlay** – $6,279,965
Cantlay’s steady play over the season secured him a top 10 spot on the earnings list with over $6 million.
The rest of the top 50 earners for 2024 include:
11. **Sam Burns** – $6,185,830
12. **Sungjae Im** – $6,122,325
13. **Shane Lowry** – $6,095,881
14. **Chris Kirk** – $6,023,786
15. **Byeong Hun An** – $5,871,643
16. **Tony Finau** – $5,706,467
17. **Robert MacIntyre** – $5,400,384
18. **Akshay Bhatia** – $5,344,905
19. **Matthieu Pavon** – $5,254,412
20. **Brian Harman** – $5,344,905
21. **Russell Henley** – $5,080,969
22. **Billy Horschel** – $5,037,278
23. **Christiaan Bezuidenhout** – $5,026,363
24. **Adam Scott** – $4,753,172
25. **Tom Hoge** – $4,628,329
26. **Viktor Hovland** – $4,616,727
27. **Aaron Rai** – $4,613,515
28. **Tommy Fleetwood** – $4,609,158
29. **Sepp Straka** – $4,601,079
30. **Taylor Pendrith** – $4,579,104
31. **Will Zalatoris** – $4,539,910
32. **Justin Thomas** – $4,475,561
33. **Si Woo Kim** – $4,260,683
34. **Davis Thompson** – $4,144,916
35. **Tom Kim** – $4,124,968
36. **Jason Day** – $4,117,518
37. **Cameron Young** – $4,057,224
38. **Cam Davis** – $4,039,533
39. **Adam Hadwin** – $4,034,183
40. **Denny McCarthy** – $3,958,733
41. **Corey Conners** – $3,885,439
42. **Stephen Jaeger** – $3,847,034
43. **Max Homa** – $3,786,432
44. **Matt Fitzpatrick** – $3,705,463
45. **JT Poston** – $3,691,765
46. **Alex Noren** – $3,649,210
47. **Austin Eckroat** – $3,633,335
48. **Thomas Detry** – $3,614,669
49. **Eric Cole** – $3,209,297
50. **Max Greyserman** – $3,196,556
Notably, Scottie Scheffler’s earnings from regular-season play do not include the $25 million he was awarded for winning the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Even without that bonus, Scheffler was far ahead of his peers. His remarkable season saw him win four out of five starts at one point, and he never finished worse than T17 in regular-season events, apart from a T41 at the US Open.
Scheffler’s dominance was driven by his victories in seven tournaments, including one Major (the Masters) and six Signature Events, which carry higher prize money. With every start, Scheffler made the cut, meaning he was paid for every event he played. His exceptional consistency—finishing in the top 25 in 17 of his 19 starts and in the top 10 in 16 of them—fueled his staggering earnings.
This season’s earnings reflect the increased money in professional golf, with heightened competition and larger prize pools across the sport. Scheffler’s ability to capitalize on these opportunities has made him the PGA Tour’s undisputed top earner for 2024.
