Tiger Woods Heads 8 Golfers To Make All Time Rich List Of Top 50 Highest Paid Athletes

Some of the biggest names in golfing history have made Sportico's latest list which details the top 50 richest athletes of all time.

And mainly due to off-course earning in design and other business, there are eight golfers who have made the list, with four of them retired legends of the game and another in Tiger Woods nearing the end of his career.

Basketball great Michael Jordan tops the list with non-adjusted earnings of $3bn, and although a distant second, Woods is still the next best with his $1.91bn fortune according to Sportico.

Thanks to their brands and prolific course design businesses, Jack Nicklaus and the late, great Arnold Palmer come in at sixth and seventh on the list due to their earnings being adjusted for inflation to compare with modern-day sports stars.

Phil Mickelson in 11th has earned more actual money that Nicklaus and Palmer as one of nine stars on the list to have broken the $1bn barrier, with his earnings to the end of 2024 getting a huge boost from his LIV Golf signing bonus.

Prolific businessman Greg Norman makes the list in 15th while Rory McIlroy is the only fully active current PGA Tour player to make the list with his $640m putting him in 24th.

McIlroy, of course, will get another boost to his earning with his early-season victories in 2025 including at The Masters, which saw him break through the $100 million mark in tournament earnings.

Ernie Els also makes the list in 35th with fellow South African Gary Player joining him just a couple of places lower in 37th.

Golf has the second-most players in the top 50 with eight, behind only basketball which provides 13 of the top 50 earners of all time.

Sportico says the totals quoted for the rankings are estimates based on "conversations with industry insiders, Sportico research and historical estimates in media outlets, such as Forbes and Sports Illustrated".