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Adam Woodard

PGA Tour prize money payouts: Top 10 money earners for the 2021-22 season

When fans talk about professional golf these days, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to move to the PGA Tour’s battle for supremacy against LIV Golf.

While the PGA Tour still holds an advantage in the talent department, there’s no doubting the financial power LIV wields thanks to their backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Even commissioner Jay Monahan has admitted he can’t compete financially with his LIV Golf adversaries, but that doesn’t mean the players on Tour are playing for peanuts.

While Scottie Scheffler set a season-long record with $14,046,910 in earnings, 126 players made more than $1 million in the Tour’s 2021-22 season, with the Tour reporting a player average of $1,621,221 in on-course earnings. Another 37 players made more than $500,000.

Check out just how much money the top players on Tour made this season.

More money: PGA Tour all-time money list

1. Scottie Scheffler - $14,046,910

After the U.S. Open, with 10 events left on the Tour’s schedule, Scheffler set a new record for most official money earned in a PGA Tour season. Thanks to a Tour-best four wins, Scheffler earned $14,046,910 total, a whopping $4 million clear of second.

Scottie Scheffler talks to the crowd while wearing his green jacket during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Adam Cairns-Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY Sports)

2. Cameron Smith - $10,107,897

Smith earned massive wins at the British Open and Players Championship this season, and was one of the FedEx Cup favorites entering the playoffs, where reports broke that he’d be soon joining LIV Golf. Smith didn’t exactly deny his reported involvement with LIV, where he’d reportedly make 10-times what he earned this season, his best on Tour.

Cameron Smith talks to media during a press conference after winning the 150th Open Championship golf tournament at St. Andrews Old Course. (Photo by: Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports)

3. Will Zalatoris - $9,405,082

Zalatoris earned his long-anticipated first win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship to cap an impressive start to his professional career. A back injury has sidelined the rising star for the last two weeks, and the young American will also miss out on next month’s Presidents Cup, where he would have been a top contender as a captain’s pick.

Will Zalatoris reacts after making a par putt on No. 18 during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

4. Patrick Cantlay - $9,369,605

Cantlay became the first player to ever defend a title in a FedEx Cup Playoff event and is in a great position to defend his FedEx Cup title as well entering the Tour Championship at East Lake. Cantlay also won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with teammate Xander Schauffele back in April.

Patrick Cantlay poses with the BMW Trophy and The Western Golf Association Trophy after winning the 2022 BMW Championship in Wilmington, Delaware. (Photo: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

5. Rory McIlroy - $8,654,566

This year was big for McIlroy, who had just as many wins as missed cuts (two). You could even argue the Northern Irishman should’ve bagged a few more trophies with close calls at the Masters (2nd), Wells Fargo (5th), PGA Championship (8th), U.S. Open (T-5) and British Open (3rd).

Rory McIlroy celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2022 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario. (Photo: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

6. Xander Schauffele - $7,427,299

One of three players to win three times on Tour this season, second most behind Scheffler, Schauffele claimed the Zurich with Cantlay, the Travelers in June and the loaded Genesis Scottish Open in July. His $7,427,299 in earnings is $2 million more than his last best season in 2019.

Xander Schauffele smiles after finishing up practicing at the TPC Southwind driving range on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, two days before the start of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, TN.

7. Sam Burns - $7,073,986

The 2021-22 season was a coming out party for Burns. The other three-time winner alongside Smith and Schauffle, Burns won the Sanderson Farms in the fall and defended his title via a playoff at the Valspar Championship in March. He added the Charles Schwab in May, also in a playoff. He’ll make his Presidents Cup debut next month for Team USA.

Sam Burns poses with the trophy after winning during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at Country Club of Jackson on October 03, 2021 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

8. Matt Fitzpatrick - $7,012,672

Fitzpatrick had a strong year and still earned nearly half his winnings for the year from his U.S. Open victory ($3,150,000). Not only that, Fitzpatrick’s major championship winnings were more than he had ever won for an entire season on Tour ($2,252,351 in 2021).

Matt Fitzpatrick celebrates with caddie Billy Foster after winning on the 18th green during the final round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club on June 19, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

9. Justin Thomas - $6,829,576

Another major win, another top-10 showing on the money list. Thomas won his second PGA Championship in May via a playoff with Zalatoris. His $6,829,576 for 2021-22 is fourth-best of his career. His best season, you ask? That’d be when he was a five-time winner in 2017 to earn $9,921,560.

Justin Thomas enters the FedExCup Playoffs 8th in the standings. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

10. Cameron Young - $6,520,598

In his first full season on Tour, Young has finished runner up five times with 17 made cuts. Like his buddy Zalatoris, he’s constantly in the mix and will feature on these lists for years to come.

Cameron Young celebrates his eagle on the 17th hole during the third round of the 2022 NCAA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club. (Photo: Eric Gay/Associated Press)

Nos. 11-100

Position Player Events Prize money
11 Tony Finau 24 $6,117,886
12 Hideki Matsuyama 20 $5,776,298
13 Sungjae Im 25 $5,567,974
14 Max Homa 23 $5,289,842
15 Jon Rahm 18 $5,248,220
16 Joaquin Niemann 23 $5,076,060
17 Jordan Spieth 21 $5,018,444
18 Billy Horschel 21 $4,940,600
19 Viktor Hovland 20 $4,868,461
20 Collin Morikawa 18 $4,837,271
21 Sepp Straka 32 $4,722,434
22 Tom Hoge 31 $4,310,046
23 Scott Stallings 30 $3,933,593
24 Corey Conners 24 $3,876,590
25 Kevin Kisner 24 $3,757,424
26 Talor Gooch 22 $3,718,990
27 Keegan Bradley 25 $3,623,137
28 Shane Lowry 18 $3,616,679
29 Aaron Wise 23 $3,454,521
30 K.H. Lee 27 $3,347,180
31 J.T. Poston 29 $3,292,443
32 Brian Harman 26 $3,226,839
33 Davis Riley 29 $3,190,793
34 Sahith Theegala 31 $3,124,668
35 Seamus Power 26 $3,100,241
36 Anirban Lahiri 24 $3,084,598
37 Keith Mitchell 26 $3,068,341
38 Cameron Tringale 29 $3,050,519
39 J.J. Spaun 29 $2,951,152
40 Adam Scott 19 $2,913,198
41 Denny McCarthy 29 $2,882,771
42 Tommy Fleetwood 17 $2,874,008
43 Tyrrell Hatton 19 $2,849,792
44 Russell Henley 22 $2,837,505
45 Joohyung Kim 11 $2,824,580
46 Mito Pereira 27 $2,797,925
47 Luke List 28 $2,734,720
48 Maverick McNealy 27 $2,689,754
49 Adam Hadwin 26 $2,574,396
50 Lucas Herbert 20 $2,558,440
51 Kurt Kitayama 24 $2,547,912
52 Sebastián Muñoz 25 $2,545,121
53 Brendan Steele 23 $2,531,909
54 Chris Kirk 25 $2,408,913
55 Jason Kokrak 19 $2,339,960
56 Taylor Pendrith 21 $2,330,840
57 Harold Varner III 23 $2,294,141
58 Mackenzie Hughes 27 $2,276,212
59 Si Woo Kim 29 $2,234,151
60 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 24 $2,233,289
61 Trey Mullinax 28 $2,172,365
62 Emiliano Grillo 28 $2,094,647
63 Matt Kuchar 20 $2,051,300
64 Marc Leishman 23 $2,015,561
65 Gary Woodland 23 $1,992,732
66 Cam Davis 25 $1,989,011
67 Alex Noren 22 $1,971,531
68 Lucas Glover 28 $1,941,796
69 Andrew Putnam 30 $1,920,393
70 Matt Jones 20 $1,914,560
71 Chez Reavie 28 $1,908,670
72 Troy Merritt 26 $1,906,304
73 Abraham Ancer 18 $1,777,504
74 Daniel Berger 12 $1,769,539
75 Taylor Moore 28 $1,751,237
76 Paul Casey 7 $1,740,282
77 Lanto Griffin 23 $1,717,566
78 Beau Hossler 23 $1,716,430
79 Hudson Swafford 21 $1,714,926
80 Joel Dahmen 26 $1,712,942
81 Russell Knox 28 $1,683,424
82 Brendon Todd 25 $1,659,052
83 John Huh 26 $1,631,948
84 Alex Smalley 30 $1,631,567
85 Wyndham Clark 30 $1,544,055
86 Matthew NeSmith 28 $1,539,142
87 Matthew Wolff 16 $1,485,181
88 Brandon Wu 26 $1,472,515
89 Justin Rose 18 $1,426,994
90 Lee Hodges 29 $1,377,251
91 Adam Long 28 $1,364,131
92 Kevin Streelman 27 $1,354,092
93 Doug Ghim 29 $1,347,458
94 Aaron Rai 28 $1,346,601
95 Adam Schenk 32 $1,339,523
96 Patrick Rodgers 27 $1,327,382
97 Brooks Koepka 16 $1,317,085
98 C.T. Pan 24 $1,313,259
99 Hayden Buckley 30 $1,303,036
100 Stephan Jaeger 31 $1,289,503

 

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