Golf’s top earners made less money this past year (though they still made a lot)

Golf’s top-earning players lost a bit of money this past year. 

They probably won’t lose too much sleep over it.

Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth made a combined $183 million this past year, down from the $215 million golf’s biggest earners made the previous year, according to Forbes Magazine’s list of the highest-paid athletes in the world, released Friday and can be found here. 

The overall top 100 saw a drop in earnings for the first time in four years, as the coronavirus pandemic has halted most every sport since about the middle of March. The overall top 100 made $3.6 billion from June 1, 2019 through June 1, 2020, down from the $4 billion they made the previous year. 

Woods, who has led the Forbes list a record 12 times, is the top-earning golfer, and No. 8 overall, with $62.3 million in earnings. He is followed by McIlroy, No. 14 overall with $52 million in earnings; Mickelson, No. 25 and $40.8 million; and Spieth; No. 52 and $27.6 million; while Roger Federer, with $106 million in earnings, leads the list for the first time. 

Forbes broke down the earnings by endorsements and salary. Woods made $60 million in endorsements and $2.3 million in salary; McIlroy made $30 million in endorsements and $22 million in salary; Mickelson made $40 million in endorsements and $800,000 in salary; and Spieth made $26 million in endorsements and $1.6 million in salary.