How Much the Average PGA Tour Pro Won in 2021
The average player on the PGA Tour in the 2021 season earned a tidy $1,485,055 for his work, according to PGA Tour stats.
That’s the highest average for a single season since 2018 when the average PGA Tour pro earned $1,329,295.
The PGA Tour money list is no longer officially recognized, per the AP's Doug Ferguson. The Tour is apparently now more about the FedEx Cup and its $15 million payout. The player that wins that is just about guaranteed to be the leading overall prize-money earner on Tour. For the purposes of this article, we're looking at only money won in official tournaments, not the FedEx Cup bonuses.
The PGA Tour average money won first reached a million in the 2007 season. The average that year was $1,027,500 and Tiger Woods led everyone in earnings with $10,867,052. Woods, by the way, first led the Tour in earnings in 1997 when he made $2,066,833. The average that year was $223,748.
Here are some more takeaways from the 2021 money list:
- Jon Rahm led the PGA Tour in the 2021 season with $7,705,933 won. He earned that in 22 events, including his victory at the U.S. Open. That’s an average of $350,269.68 per event.
- Louis Oosthuizen won the most money ($6,306,679, seventh overall) without winning an event.
- Other players in the Top 25 who did well without winning are Xander Schauffele (12th at $5,240,653); Scott Scheffler (19th at $4,505,589); Sungjae Im (22nd at $4,157,182) and Corey Conners (25th at $4,007,567).
- Brian Gay finished the lowest on the list of any player who won an event. The reigning Bermuda Championship winner was 135th on the money list and banked $916,158.
- The most-bang-for-your-buck award goes to Bud Cauley. Because of injuries, he played just one event but made $100,650. That would have been No. 1 on the money list every year before 1963.
- Other players who made bank in just one start include Fred Funk ($9,000) and Retief Goosen ($6,810).
- Lee Westwood was the only player in the Top 30 who played less than 20 events. He made $3,435,368 in 19.
- Our fictional golfer Ben Par, the guy who makes par on every hole, would have been 183rd on the money list in 2021.
Louis Oosthuizen came oh-so-close to winning several times in 2021.
Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports
Average PGA Tour Winnings Since 1980
Here is the average won on Tour every year since 1980:
2021: $1,485,055
2020: $1,015,708
2019: $1,225,318
2018: $1,329,295
2017: $1,240,264
2016: $1,174,342
2015: $1,159,903
2014: $1,109,625
2013: $989,414
2012: $1,031,772
2011: $994,741
2010: $1,027,475
2009: $982,478
2008: $1,030,370
2007: $1,027,500
2006: $946,214
2005: $884,799
2004: $871,596
2003: $838,052
2002: $764,064
2001: $646,505
2000:$609,994
1999: $390,919
1998: $274,000
1997: $223,748
1996: $181,817
1995: $175,211
1994: $172,000
1993: $158,344
1992: $153,853
1991: $146,780
1990: $148,720
1989: $137,629
1988: $114,072
1987: $104,922
1986: $83,578
1985: $73,791
1984: $65,402
1983: $58,339
1982: $45,515
1981: $39,542
1980: $38,660
All-time PGA Tour Money Winners
Here are the PGA Tour's leading money winners from today to 1934:
2021: John Rahm, $7,705,933
2020: Justin Thomas, $7,344,040
2019: Brooks Koepka, $9,684,006
2018: Justin Thomas, $8,694,821
2017: Justin Thomas, $9,921,560
2016: Dustin Johnson, $9,365,185
2015: Jordan Spieth, $12,030,465
2014: Rory McIlroy, $8,280,096
2013: Tiger Woods, $8,553,439
2012: Rory McIlroy, $8,047,952
2011: Luke Donald, $6,683,214
2010: Matt Kuchar, $4,910,477
2009: Tiger Woods, $10,508,163
2008: Vijay Singh, $6,601,094
2007: Tiger Woods, $10,867,052
2006: Tiger Woods, $9,941,563
2005: Tiger Woods, $10,628,024
2004: Vijay Singh, $10,905,166
2003: Vijay Singh, $7,573,907
2002: Tiger Woods, $6,912,625
2001: Tiger Woods, $5,687,777
2000: Tiger Woods, $9,188,321
1999: Tiger Woods, $6,616,585
1998: David Duval, $2,591,031
1997: Tiger Woods, $2,066,833
1996: Tom Lehman, $1,780,159
1995: Greg Norman, $1,654,959
1994: Nick Price, $1,499,927
1993: Nick Price, $1,478,557
1992: Fred Couples, $1,344,188
1991: Corey Pavin, $979,430
1990: Greg Norman, $1,165,477
1989: Tom Kite, $1,395,278
1988: Curtis Strange, $1,147,644
1987: Curtis Strange, $925,941
1986: Greg Norman, $653,296
1985: Curtis Strange, $542,321
1984: Tom Watson, $476,260
1983: Hal Sutton, $426,668
1982: Craig Stadler, $446,462
1981: Tom Kite, $375,699
1980:Tom Watson, $530,808
1979: Tom Watson, $462,636
1978:Tom Watson, $362,428
1977: Tom Watson, $310,653
1976: Jack Nicklaus, $266,438
1975: Jack Nicklaus, $298,149
1974: Johnny Miller, $353,021
1973: Jack Nicklaus, $308,362
1972: Jack Nicklaus, $320,542
1971: Jack Nicklaus, $244,490
1970: Lee Trevino, $157,037
1969: Frank Beard, $164,707
1968: Billy Casper, $205,168
1967: Jack Nicklaus, $188,998
1966: Billy Casper, $121,944
1965: Jack Nicklaus, $140,752
1964: Jack Nicklaus, $113,284
1963: Arnold Palmer, $128,230
1962: Arnold Palmer, $81,448
1961: Gary Player, $64,540
1960: Arnold Palmer, $75,263
1959: Art Wall, $53,167
1958: Arnold Palmer, $42,607
1957: Dick Mayer, $65,835
1956: Ted Kroll, $72,835
1955: Julius Boros, $63,121
1954: Bob Toski, $65,819
1953: Lew Worsham, $34,002
1952: Julius Boros, $37,032
1951: Lloyd Mangrum, $26,088
1950: Sam Snead, $35,758
1949: Sam Snead, $31,593
1948: Ben Hogan, $32,112
1947: Jimmy Demaret, $27,936
1946: Ben Hogan, $42,556
1945: Byron Nelson, $63,335
1944: Byron Nelson, $37,967
1942: Ben Hogan, $13,143
1941: Ben Hogan, $18,358
1940: Ben Hogan, $10,655
1939: Henry Picard, $10,303
1938: Sam Snead, $19,534
1937: Harry Cooper, $14,138
1936: Horton Smith, $7,682
1935: Johnny Revolta, $9,543
1934: Paul Runyan, $6,767