08/30/26 05:45:00
Printable Page
08/30 17:44 CDT Scottie Scheffler moves past a Tiger Woods money standard that
stood for nearly 26 years
Scottie Scheffler moves past a Tiger Woods money standard that stood for nearly
26 years
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
ATLANTA (AP) --- Tiger Woods was going for his seventh straight PGA Tour
victory when he tied for second at Torrey Pines. He earned $264,000 that day to
move to No. 1 in career tour earnings.
That was Feb. 13, 2000, and Woods stayed there ever since --- until Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler won the Tour Championship to capture his second FedEx Cup
title and the $10 million prize --- now considered official money --- to raise
his career total to $130,390,661.
Woods had been at $120,999,166 since he made his last cut on the PGA Tour at
the 2024 Masters.
This is an entirely different era of golf, and Scheffler finally topping Woods
in career earnings was inevitable. That it happened so quickly is a testament
to Scheffler's dominance. He has been No. 1 in the world since May 2023.
The popularity and momentum Woods brought to the sport 30 years ago generated
enormous spikes in prize money. And then with the arrival of Saudi-funded LIV
Golf in 2022, the PGA Tour responded with even greater increases to keep more
players from defecting.
There were 15 prize funds of $20 million or more this season on the PGA Tour
schedule. Woods never played for a $10 million purse during his peak years from
1997 through 2009.
Woods won the FedEx Cup twice when it was worth $10 million, all in bonus
money. Scheffler earned $23 million in bonus money last week by leading the
FedEx Cup in points. The FedEx Cup finale has counted as official the last two
years.
Most telling about the rapid increase in money was the 2024 Masters. Woods, at
age 48 and trying to recover from multiple back surgeries and a 2023 car crash
that shattered his right leg and ankle, finished in last place and made $44,000.
Scheffler won the Masters that year and moved to No. 12 on the career earnings
list at $57,658,464. He has earned just over $72.7 million in his last 50
tournaments over two years and four months.
It was a matter of time, and it really doesn't matter to Scheffler.
"The reason our purses are so large today is because of the influence and
impact that Tiger had on the game," Scheffler said before the Tour Championship
started. "I wouldn't really consider that a Tiger record being broken. I think
it just shows one of the many effects he had on the game of golf in a positive
way."
Scheffler indicated last week in St. Louis the Tiger number he cares about his
victories. Scheffler won for the 22nd time Sunday at East Lake. Woods shares
the PGA Tour record at 82 victories.
___
See AP's full golf coverage here
|
