In an era where prize money that would be life-changing for many people is frequently commonplace on the biggest circuits, it can be easy to forget that, for the majority of touring pros, grinding out a living is their reality.
For example, even on arguably the most glamorous tour of all, the PGA Tour, it can be a tough place to making a living, with some players failing to reach six figures in earnings in 2025.
While not everyone can expect to claim the millions regularly scooped up by the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, further down the pecking order, it becomes even harder.
Take Fredrick Lindblom, for example. The Swede finished a highly creditable T9 at mini tour event, the Southern California Open.
Lindblom shot two under at the 54-hole Mission Hills Country Club event, while, as he explained on Instagram, he made par or better on all but four holes.
Despite that solid effort, his prize money came to just $843, but that doesn’t even get close to telling the full story – as he also detailed on his X account.
Indeed, by the time other expenses were taken into account, Lindblom, who is also a short game coach, walked away with just $43.
Lindblom wrote: “Perfect example of the mini tour grind: I just finished 9th out of 168 players at the SoCal Open. Entry fee was $800. My pay check was $843 for a $43 profit."
Perfect example of the mini tour grind:I just finished 9th out of 168 players at the SoCal Open. Entry fee was $800. My pay check was $843 for a $43 profit… Take out expenses: -Airbnb: $500-Food: $140-Gas: $120-Practice round: $150-Yardage book: $35Total: $945. Winnings… pic.twitter.com/2fQXIvvL85May 1, 2026
He added: “Take out expenses: Airbnb: $500, Food: $140, Gas: $120, Practice round: $150, Yardage book: $35 Total: $945. Winnings ($43) - Expenses ($945)= -$902."
Clearly a master of the understatement, he added: "Not the best week in the end.”
It would have been considerably more profitable for Lindblom had he claimed the title at the tournament, rather than finishing 12 behind the eventual winner, Andy Yoon.
Even then, the prize money, while handy, could hardly be described as life-changing, with Yoon picking up $10,000 before expenses.
Lindblom isn't the only mini tour player to detail the harsh reality of costs to make it as a pro golfer. In 2025, Alex Romo gave a similar breakdown for a tournament, where a seventh-place finish in a 117-player field would have been needed to break even.
