The quest to reach the pinnacle in professional golf is by far one of the most difficult journeys of any professional sport in the world today. The commitment, dedication and work ethic needed is daunting, to say the least, and it’s getting harder every year, for those setting their sights on the lustrous PGA Tour Card. In a game growing worldwide at such a rapid rate, the crop of international players reaching professional golf is growing exponentially at record pace. Today there are over 62 million golfers worldwide, by 2035 it is expected that golf will exceed the 100 million golfers.
The chances of becoming a professional tour golfer are so minuscule it is very hard to even measure. But it is said to be only .00016% of total players in the game at best. The Official World Golf Ranking System has nearly 9000 professional active golfers. Less than half of 1% of these players will be on the PGA Tour in the next 3 years. Each year only 125 players retain full status on the PGA Tour, in 2026 this will be reduced to 100 players. As far as tenure, there is none on the PGA Tour, the average professional golfers career is less than 5 years, in stats used over the last 20 years. Only 50 players have had a Tour Card for more than 20 consecutive seasons in the history of the PGA Tour. Much like all professional sports, players prime earning window is from 25-35 years old.
The PGA Tour unlike other top professional sports, comes with no tenure and no guaranteed contracts of any kind. The PGA Tour only gives you a 1-year agreement to play as an independent contractor in their events. If you don’t make a weekly cut, you earn nothing. If you fall at end of season outside the “Top 125”, you are out for the following year. Everything is based on performance, rankings and individual achievements, and your ability to garnish annual sponsors. The average weekly tour event expenses are about $6000.00 for players, and most play 25-30 events yearly. This does not include other annual expenses such as financial advisors, state and federal taxes and normal family and living expenses for tour players. The top players on the PGA Tour handle their careers very much like a business and have an extensive professional staff contributing to maintaining success and income growth. From their caddy, to swing coaches, putting coaches, to personal trainers, dietary specialist as well as agents, financial advisors and tax specialist. It is not unusual for the best players in the game to invest over 20% yearly into maintaining and maximizing income potential and sponsor income.
PGA Tour Realities Haves and Have Nots
Each season about 250 players play in 39 to 40 tournaments by the PGA Tour. The average PGA Tour Player plays in about 25-30 Events. Players in the “Top 100” ranking earn the largest share of winnings each year on the tour, averaging 25 million to a low 2 million in winnings. Players ranked from 125 – 150, average 1 million to a low of $700,000 in winnings. And players ranked 150 – 200, average $500,000 to a low of $150,000 in yearly winnings. It is safe to say that at least 50% of all players on the PGA Tour are making little or no money at the top level of their career on the most coveted tour in the world. How is this possible is the first question that come to mind!
*The Simple Financial Facts
Earnings Yearly for 50+% of PGA Tour Players $500,000.
Weekly Expenses 30 Events Yearly, Caddies, Flights, Coaches, Food, Tour Average $6000.00 Per Week. – $180,000.
Tournament State Taxes on Winnings at every event on Tour, Hawaii 11%, California 13.3%, – Tour Average 8% -$60,000.
Federal Taxes on Winnings 37% – $185,000.
Misc. Expenses Yearly Traveling $10,000.00
Total Expenses Average on $500,000 Winnings on Tour
As Much as $435,000 Annually – YesThe Frugal Pay Less!* Sponsor Money for Players is vital, but it has decreased more than 40%, especially for lower ranked PGA Tour Players so badly needing it to sustain. Being a PGA Tour Professional at the highest level of the game today is an incredible accomplishment to say the least. For so many, who reach the pinnacle of this great sport, it unfortunately is fleeting. It is by all standards the most difficult skill to master, maintain and grow in the world today. And what was incredibly challenging, will become even more so in the years ahead.
The Future Will Be Harder Indeed!
*The all-exempt tour had been in place since 1983, meaning the top 125 players from the official money list — now the FedEx Cup standings — kept a full PGA Tour card the following season. That changes in 2026 after the PGA Tour policy board approved a new priority list. Only the top 100 players will earn full tour cards for the following year. The top 30 from the developmental Korn Ferry Tour used to advance to the PGA Tour. That number now goes to 20. Five players from qualifying school will get cards — it previously was the top five and ties. The tour also is doing away with 156-man fields except for two tournaments held on multiple courses. Most tournaments will have 120 players before Daylight Saving Time, then 132 players in spring and a maximum of 144 players in the summer months.
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