How Much the Average PGA Tour Pro Won in 2021

The average player on the PGA Tour in the 2021 season earned nearly $1.5 million for his work, according to PGA Tour stats.

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