Purses outran prices
Prices in the US have risen about 12-fold since 1958. PGA Tour prize money has risen much faster, so even after adjusting for inflation the modern era dominates every list on this page.
The jumps came in waves: television money in the late 1960s and 1980s, then the Tiger Woods era from 1997, when purses roughly tripled in a few years, and the signature-event era from 2023 after LIV Golf arrived.
That makes the old money titles look small, but they bought a lot more at the time. Arnold Palmer's $42,608 in 1958 is about $490,541 today, still a fortune, but less than the 2025 No. 100 on the money list earned ($1,533,612).
The money-list leader, 1958–2025, in 2026 dollars
Every season's top earner, adjusted for inflation with the consumer price index. Click a bar for the player.
The best seasons before the purse boom, in today's dollars
Official PGA Tour prize money, 1958–1989. Purses took off in the 1990s, so seasons from then on would crowd out everyone else.
The biggest seasons ever, after inflation
Every complete season since 1958, ranked in 2026 dollars. Even adjusted, the modern era dominates: purses have grown far faster than prices.
| Rank | Player | Season | Prize money | In 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Scottie Scheffler | 2024 | $29,228,358 | $30,957,125 |
| No. 2 | Scottie Scheffler | 2025 | $27,659,550 | $28,544,430 |
| No. 3 | Scottie Scheffler | 2023 | $21,046,438 | $22,948,756 |
| No. 4 | Xander Schauffele | 2024 | $18,361,558 | $19,447,587 |
| No. 5 | Vijay Singh | 2004 | $10,905,166 | $19,182,001 |
| No. 6 | Tommy Fleetwood | 2025 | $18,496,239 | $19,087,968 |
| No. 7 | Tiger Woods | 2005 | $10,628,024 | $18,081,067 |
| No. 8 | Jon Rahm | 2023 | $16,527,430 | $18,021,290 |
| No. 9 | Tiger Woods | 2000 | $9,188,321 | $17,727,940 |
| No. 10 | Rory McIlroy | 2025 | $16,923,326 | $17,464,735 |
| No. 11 | Tiger Woods | 2007 | $10,867,052 | $17,413,210 |
| No. 12 | Jordan Spieth | 2015 | $12,030,465 | $16,863,906 |
| No. 13 | Tiger Woods | 2006 | $9,941,563 | $16,384,657 |
| No. 14 | Tiger Woods | 2009 | $10,507,663 | $16,272,684 |
| No. 15 | Scottie Scheffler | 2022 | $14,006,862 | $15,901,580 |
| No. 16 | Viktor Hovland | 2023 | $14,117,057 | $15,393,051 |
| No. 17 | Rory McIlroy | 2023 | $13,960,813 | $15,222,685 |
| No. 18 | Russell Henley | 2025 | $14,707,570 | $15,178,093 |
| No. 19 | J.J. Spaun | 2025 | $13,278,223 | $13,703,018 |
| No. 20 | Vijay Singh | 2005 | $8,017,336 | $13,639,600 |
| No. 21 | Justin Thomas | 2017 | $9,781,335 | $13,257,920 |
| No. 22 | Tiger Woods | 1999 | $6,616,585 | $13,197,125 |
| No. 23 | Jason Day | 2015 | $9,403,331 | $13,181,277 |
| No. 24 | Dustin Johnson | 2016 | $9,365,185 | $12,964,250 |
| No. 25 | Vijay Singh | 2003 | $7,133,907 | $12,884,372 |
The Masters winner's check in 2026 dollars
From $1,500 in 1934 to $4,500,000 in 2026. Full Masters prize money history →
Careers in today's dollars
Career official PGA Tour prize money, each season adjusted for inflation. Seasons without published figures aren't counted.
Frequently asked questions
What would the 1958 money-list leader's earnings be worth today?
Arnold Palmer earned $42,608 in 1958, about $490,541 in 2026 dollars.
Are golf purses bigger today even after inflation?
Yes. The money-list leader earned 58 times as much in 2025 as in 1958, after adjusting for inflation.
What is the biggest PGA Tour season ever in today's dollars?
Scottie Scheffler in 2024, with $29,228,358 in official prize money ($30,957,125 in 2026 dollars).
How much would Jack Nicklaus's career earnings be worth today?
His $5,755,957 in official PGA Tour prize money is about $33,454,258 in 2026 dollars.
How is the inflation adjustment calculated?
Each season's dollars are scaled by the US consumer price index (CPI-U annual average) for that year relative to 2026, using the months published so far for 2026. Figures from the British Open are converted from pounds first.