Dustin Johnson was among the headliners at the LIV Golf Invitational in London. For the event, he was offered $125 million but that amount may increase up to $150 million. Dustin has had his share of trouble, both on and off the course. But after two major wins, including the 2020 Masters win with -20 under par, he has become a force to reckon with.
While this season has started dismally, everyone knows Johnson is capable of multiple wins. Johnson has a Masters win, a U.S. Open win, 24 PGA wins total, and 74 million dollars and earnings. He is not hot every year, but when he is, barely any course can contain the excitement.
Tyrrell Hatton left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf earlier in 2024 with a huge signing bonus of $63 million. His teammate, Jon Rahm, joined him on the new tour, which was a double whammy for the PGA, which lost two more of its top players.
Because LIV events don't award points, it's difficult for these golfers to qualify for top events like the Masters. Luckily, Hatton's pre-LIV ranking was high enough to get him into the 2024 Masters. In the future, however, we might be seeing less of these players in major PGA events.
Bryson DeChambeau was guaranteed over $100 million to join the LIV Golf Invitational. DeChambeau has made a huge impact in his first six years on tour. After two wins in the 20-21 season, including his first major, the U.S. Open, he finished the season ranked 7th. He was the first to have two victories and only one of six people to do it all season.
The first season with LIV started slow, but nine top-10 finishes last season help to keep him very high on the list. Eight tour victories in only 134 events played, with 35 top-10 finishes, is an incredible feat. The career total for earnings is well over $26 million, but he's now primed to win a whole lot more.
Jon Rahm made headlines in late 2023 when he left the PGA Tour for a massive $600 million contract with LIV, plus a $300 million signing bonus. The switch was sudden and shocking as Rahm previously emphasized building a legacy and competing against the best in the PGA.
Financially, Rahm was massively successful with the PGA with over 20 professional wins, including the 2023 Masters and 2021 U.S. Open. From LIV Golf's payouts to potential tournament wins his earnings have likely skyrocketed.
Patrick Reed was part of the first mass exit from PGA in 2022 for the LIV tour. He raked in well over $12 million with LIV in that year alone, and he's only making more since! Despite telling The Mirror he didn't leave PGA for the money... but the bonus checks make us wonder!
Historically, Reed racked up tons of wins with the PGA, though not enough for him to stay, apparently. Here are the accomplishments under his belt: 1 Masters victory, 2 World Golf Championship wins, 9 PGA Tour victories, and Ryder Cup appearances.
Louis Oosthuizen quit the PGA tour to play the LIV Golf Invitation, with the speculated amount being over $5.2 million. Born in South Africa, Oosthuizen has been listed as a professional for 20 years.
Oosthuizen won The Open Championship on the Old Course in Scotland in 2010 with a seven-stroke lead. Currently ranked 16th in greens hit in regulation, he could dramatically lower his scores. With 13 International victories and the major victory in 2010, he has won 28 million dollars by making the cut in 161 tournaments.
Brooks Koepka was part of the mass exodus of athletes leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022. His departure was a major blow considering how many wins he had under his belt. Koepka has never shied away from chasing a paycheck, and the lucrative $100 million contract offered by LIV was likely a key factor in his decision.
Before joining LIV, Koepka achieved four major championship titles in a short span: back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2017 and 2018, followed by consecutive PGA Championship wins in 2018 and 2019. He's also reached the world's number-one ranking, yet currently sits at #33.
Phil Mickelson joined the LIV Golf series and was reportedly offered over $200 million to play. In regard to joining LIV Golf, Mickelson had this to say in 2022:
“After 32 years, this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers. I also love the progressive format and think it will be exciting for fans. Just as importantly, it will provide balance, allowing me to focus on a healthier approach to life on and off the course. I am incredibly grateful for what this game and the PGA Tour has given me. I would like to think that I have given back as well but now I am excited about this new opportunity.”
Born and raised (partially) in San Diego, California, Phil Mickelson has been playing golf since childhood when he hit the green with his grandfather. After attending Arizona State University in Tempe on a golf scholarship, he participated in three individual NCAA championships, sharing a record for the most individual NCAA championships along with Ben Crenshaw. Thus far, he has a record of 45 PGA Tour wins and has the distinguishment of being the oldest major PGA Tour champion.
Bubba Watson is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour. In fact, in 2007, he had an average drive of 315.2 yards, hit a ball over 350 yards, and could generate a speed of up to 194 mph. It’s no surprise that he’s made the list of the top money winners, claiming he signed a $50 million contract "behind closed doors," according to The Telegraph.
Even though 2019 didn’t go so well for Watson, 2018 showed what he was made of. In 2018, he won the Travelers Championship and added a cool $2.6 million to his winnings. He’s also won two majors in 2012 and 2014. Right now, Bubba Watson sits at total earnings of $44.1 million. Let’s hope 2024 is better for him.
According to Fox Sports, Polish golfer Adrian Maronk joined LIV golf in 2023 under a seven-figure offer, including the potential to win a further $30 million in prize money at each 2024 LIV event.
Maronk won the European Tour's Irish Open in 2022 and became the first Pole to play in all four major tournaments as well as the Olympics. He's also won in Italy and Spain, reaching the top 50 in the world rankings. Meronk turned pro after college in the US, then played on the Challenge Tour before joining the European Tour in 2019. In 2023, he moved to LIV Golf.
Australian-born Smith has been on tour since 2013. After winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January, he has also placed in the Top 10 in three of the six tournaments he has played. Ranking 2nd in birdies in the 2022 season helped his ranking tremendously. Cameron finished second—behind Dustin Johnson—in the 2020 Masters and won over 19 million dollars.
His game has improved, and his world ranking is steadily climbing. Cameron Smith joined LIV Golf for a contract worth $100 million. Earlier, Cameron Smith indicated that he was unsure about the LIV Golf tour. He told Australian Golf Digest, "it’s too early to decide whether (LIV) is a good product or not." Then said, “I have no comment to that,...I’m here to play the FedExCup Playoffs. That’s been my focus the last week and a half, that’s what I’m here to do – I’m here to win the FedExCup Playoffs.” Money talks.
Patrick Reed is someone who has certainly made enough money from the PGA Tour, having won as much as $37 million in a decade, but the Saudi Arabian LIV Golf offer may have been too much to decline, as he, too, signed up. And he was excited about the tour, saying, “It's refreshing to see team golf again. It takes me back to college and Ryder Cup days.” Reed will be appearing at the second event of the series later in June.
Born in San Antonio, Texas, Patrick Reed’s first big win happened at University High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was there he won the 2006 Junior Open Championship. Thereafter, he played in college, and in 2011, started his professional career. Thus far, he has nine PGA Tour wins.
Sergio Garcia resigned from the PGA Tour just ahead of the LIV Golf Open. In a video released recently, Garcia was on record as saying, “I can’t wait to leave this tour. I can’t wait to get out of here…couple of more weeks, and I won’t have to deal with you anymore.” However, LIV Golf was not mentioned at all.
Born in Borriol, Castellón, Spain, Garcia is a professional Spanish golfer who remained one of the top 10 golfers in the world for most of his career. His career earnings have amounted to more than $43 million and he has 11 PGA Tour wins on his belt. He is one of 13 LIV players to compete in the August National in 2024.
Kevin Na, who is a five-time PGA Tour winner and also elected to resign from the tour to participate in the LIV Golf tour, since them making well over $7 million. He, too, faces the threat of getting banned. In his resignation statement, Kevin Na said:
“I would like the freedom to play wherever I want and exercising my right as a free agent gives me that opportunity. However, to remain a PGA Tour player, I must give up my right to make these choices about my career. If I exercise my right to choose where and when I play golf, then I cannot remain a PGA Tour player without facing disciplinary proceedings and legal action from the PGA Tour.”
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Kevin Na was a member of the PGA Tour from 2004 to 2022 and earned over $37 million in prizes, having won 5 PGA tours in that time. After emigrating to the United States when he was eight years old, he dropped out of high school to play professional golf at the age of 17. He is now a naturalized citizen of the United States and lives in Las Vegas.
Ian Poulter is said to be earning between $20 to $30 million for playing in the LIV Golf series. Upon playing the first event at the Centurion Club, Poulter was among 17 players banned from the PGA Tour – among them also being Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. But Poulter is seeking to appeal the decision, insisting that he has done nothing wrong, telling reporters, "I've played a lot of tournaments all around the world, this event is no different. It's a shame if they view this as something different.”
Ian Poulter was born in Hitchin, England but raised in Stevenage. He’s been playing golf since the age of four. By 1996, Poulter turned professional and got his first win at the 1999 Open de Côte d'Ivoire. Thus far, he has earned three PGA Tour wins and 12 European Tour wins.
Charl Schwartzel, a South African golfer, won the Masters Tournament in 2011 with a thrilling birdie run on the final holes. Inn fact, he's a champion on various tours, including PGA Tour, European Tour, Sunshine Tour, and most recently, the LIV Golf Invitational Series. His talent is undeniable, reflected in his impressive climb to number six in the world rankings.
According to Golfweek, Schwartzel made "more money in three days than any of his years on the PGA Tour after he won the inaugural LIV Invitational Series. “You can’t lie that it’s not about the money,” Schwartzel admitted. “There’s a lot of money out there and it’s more than any guy has ever played for.”
Joaquin Niemann has had a great year on the courses, with his most noticeable recent win coming during a PGA game at Riveria, where he bested other golf greats like Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young. Now, he’s moving onto LIV Gold for a whopping $100 million signing.
Joaquin Niemann at first turned down LIV Golf, stating to Golf.com, speaking out in support of the PGA Tour, “Nothing to tell from me. I want to do my best to beat all these [top-ranking players]...They’re still here and as long as they’re here, I’m not going anywhere. No chance.” Guess all that changed!
Talor Gooch has been playing golf since he was just six years old. He went on to play golf at Oklahoma State University and played the PGA Tour Canada in 2015 and 2016. He would play again and again, but it wouldn’t be until 2021 that he would win his first PGA Tour at the RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia.
In May 2022, Talor Gooch joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. The amount of his signing bonus has not yet been disclosed but he’s earning plenty in prize money, even placing 9th at the LIV Golf London even at the Centurion Club. It was there he earned $580,000 in prize money. He like other players playing the invitational, have been banned from the PGA tour. In response to this, Gooch was surprised, expecting to be able to return, saying, “Historically the Tour has not done that. So based on the history, that was my expectations.”
Hudson Swafford, born in Tallahassee, Florida, played golf at the University of Georgia. He joined the PGA Tour in 2014 and earned his first victory at the CareerBuilder Challenge in 2017. He won again in 2020 and earned his third PGA Tour win in January 2022. Hudson Swafford has now left the PGA Tour to play LIV Golf.
For Hudson Swafford, the schedule was most enticing for him as a man with two kids. He’s also excited about the team format, saying, “I think the format, the team aspect, is going to be incredible. Look at Zurich, putting teams together turned an event that was in a tough part of the schedule into one that gets some incredible fields. I’m really looking forward to seeing how that works.”
Matt Jones is an Australian golfer has won twice on the PGA Tour but hasn’t shied away from the truth regarding his PGA leave in favor of LIV Golf. For him, it was a business decision. Jones said, “Purely a business decision for me and my family….It's a big decision for any golfer. I've given the PGA Tour 15 years out here, Korn Ferry four or five years before that. This is a quick decision for me for my business for me of being a self-employed contractor. And it works for me.”
But to be clear, he doesn’t want to think it’s just about the upfront money, saying, “The upfront money’s nice, it’s not like it's a life-changing amount for me at all.”
But what happens to Jones after competing at the LIV Golf Invitational? Matt Jones, along with Hudson Swafford and Talor Gooch, had requested to be able to play the PGA Tour Event, the FedEx Cup Playoffs. However, they were all denied by a judge who granted a restraining order against the players, denying their ability to play the event.
