Golfers
Ernie Els Net Worth
Discover how South African professional golfer Ernie Els has earned his vast net worth as a world-class player and course designer.
| Net Worth: | $85 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 56 |
| Born: | October 17, 1969 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Country of Origin: | South Africa |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Golfer |
| Last Updated: | Feb 26, 2026 |
Introduction
Ernie Els is a South African professional golfer with an estimated net worth of $85 Million.
Els has won four major championships over the course of his career, including the U.S. Open in 1994. He has been ranked the number one golfer in the world, holding the record for the longest amount of time occupying the top spot.
Quick Facts
- Lifetime prize money of approximately $60.6 million
- Peak annual winnings of $5.79 million in 2004
Early Life
Theodore Ernest Els was born on 17 October 1969 in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he played many sports as a child, including cricket, rugby, and tennis. As a junior tennis player, he won the Eastern Transvaal Junior Championships at the age of 13 while also learning to play golf with his father, Neels. He participated in amateur golf tournaments from the age of 14, winning the Junior World Golf Championships and defeating a young Phil Mickelson in 1984.
Golfing Career
Ernie Els began his professional golf career in 1989, following his victory in the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship and the 1991 Southern Africa Tour. Between 1997 and 2002, Els won several major championship titles, including the U.S. Open and beating Tiger Woods to win the Genuity Championship title in 2002.
By the mid-2000s, Els had joined the Big Five, joining Woods, Mickelson, Vijay Singh, and Retief Goosen in the top five of the Official World Golf Rankings. His playing style is often compared to that of Greg Norman, and he continued to win championships throughout the 2010s, including the WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2010.
In 2012, his win at the Open Championship placed him in the same category as iconic players, including Gary Player, Billy Casper, and Jack Nicklaus, winning three majors across three decades.
In addition to his numerous tournament victories, Els earns substantial sums of money from his sponsorship deals and business ventures, including his golf course design business.
Prize Money
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1991 | $8,790 |
| 1992 | $18,420 |
| 1993 | $38,185 |
| 1994 | $684,440 |
| 1995 | $842,590 |
| 1996 | $906,944 |
| 1997 | $1,243,008 |
| 1998 | $763,783 |
| 1999 | $1,710,756 |
| 2000 | $3,469,405 |
| 2001 | $2,336,456 |
| 2002 | $3,291,895 |
| 2003 | $3,371,237 |
| 2004 | $5,787,225 |
| 2005 | $1,627,184 |
| 2006 | $2,326,220 |
| 2007 | $2,705,715 |
| 2008 | $2,537,290 |
| 2009 | $2,147,157 |
| 2010 | $4,558,861 |
| 2011 | $948,872 |
| 2012 | $3,453,118 |
| 2013 | $1,173,761 |
| 2014 | $1,799,569 |
| 2015 | $453,579 |
| 2016 | $559,024 |
| 2017 | $155,926 |
| 2018 | $102,868 |
| 2019 | $304,590 |
| 2020 | $2,738,118 |
| 2022 | $1,558,419 |
| 2023 | $2,212,583 |
| 2024 | $2,356,976 |
| 2025 | $2,390,940 |
| Total: | $60,583,904 |
According to the official PGA Tour website, Ernie Els has earned $60.6 million in prize money during his career. The data in the table above has been obtained from his profile on the site, with each year of competition examined.
Early Career Prize Money
In 1991, the first year of Ernie’s career, he played in both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour, earning a combined $8,790. As he played more events on the PGA Tour, his income naturally increased, earning $18,420 in 1992 and $38,185 in 1993. The following year was considered his breakout season, during which he competed in 11 events and won his first U.S. Open Championship. This win netted him $320,000 in prize money, bringing his total winnings that year to $684,440.
Throughout the latter half of the decade, Ernie Els’ annual winnings increased gradually. Two of his most lucrative years during the period were 1997 and 1999, when he won $1.24 million and $1.71 million, respectively. The 1999 Nissan Open tournament earned him $504,000, the single-biggest payday of the two years.
Peak Career Winnings
By the end of the 1990s, Ernie Els had already secured $6.2 million in lifetime prize money. However, the 2000s were when his career really began to take off. Over the decade, Ernie typically won at least $2 million in prize money each year. The only exception to this rule was $1.63 million in 2005. However, the year prior was his highest-earning year by far, and it still remains his most lucrative year today.
In 2004, Ernie Els secured $5.79 million in prize money, thanks to three event wins, which were as follows:
- World Golf Championships (American Express) – $1.2 million
- The Memorial Tournament – $945,000
- Sony Open in Hawaii – $864,000
Some of his other big paydays that year included $805,218 for finishing runner-up in The Open Championship and $702,000 for, again, runner-up position at the Masters Tournament.
Since the 2000s, Ernie Els’ annual earnings have fluctuated, often exceeding $2 million, but in several years, he has earned only in the low six figures. In a professional golf career spanning four decades, Els has earned $60.6 million in prize money.
Net Worth Annually
With his established reputation as a world-class golfer and other entrepreneurial activities generating millions of dollars annually, Ernie Els’ net worth has risen significantly over the years.
His numerous championship wins have helped make him one of the wealthiest individuals in the sport, earning an estimated $50 million in prize money alone. With more golfing tournaments on his schedule and his successful businesses, Els’ net worth is expected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future.
Personal Life
Ernie Els married his wife, Liezi, in 1988, with whom he has a daughter named Samantha and a son named Ben. They reside in Wentworth Estate in southern England, with additional homes located in Jupiter, Florida, and South Africa. Els keeps his fans informed about his latest championships and golf design projects through his official Instagram account, which has over 100,000 followers.
How Does Ernie Els Spend His Money?
With his impressive net worth and millions of dollars in annual income, Ernie Els is in a position to afford many luxury cars and properties. His property in Jupiter boasts many bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, and other modern conveniences. Els also owns several impressive watches, with Omega releasing a limited edition Constellation watch in his honor.
Summary
So there you have it, our comprehensive article exploring the professional victories, business ventures, and net worth of South African professional golfer Ernie Els. His career shows no signs of slowing down, with more trophies and career highlights likely to unfold in the years to come.
Golfers
Padraig Harrington Net Worth
As a major championship winner, professional golfer Padraig Harrington has made a fortune on the PGA and European tours.
| Net Worth: | $40 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 54 |
| Born: | August 31, 1971 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Country of Origin: | Ireland |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Golfer |
| Last Updated: | Feb 25, 2026 |
Introduction
Padraig Harrington is an Irish professional golfer with an estimated net worth of $40 Million.
Quick Facts
- Earned $26.3 million in official money from the PGA Tour
- Additionally, earned $9 million from the PGA Tour Champions
- Peak annual winnings of $4.3 million in 2008
- Sponsors include SuperSpeed Golf, Wilson Staff, and Bank of Ireland
PGA Tour Prize Money
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1996 | $24,025 |
| 1997 | $104,719 |
| 1998 | $23,352 |
| 1999 | $51,491 |
| 2000 | $265,313 |
| 2001 | $240,426 |
| 2002 | $806,797 |
| 2003 | $961,235 |
| 2004 | $1,882,276 |
| 2005 | $2,615,731 |
| 2006 | $1,339,675 |
| 2007 | $2,658,283 |
| 2008 | $4,313,551 |
| 2009 | $2,628,377 |
| 2010 | $1,381,453 |
| 2011 | $802,839 |
| 2012 | $1,546,272 |
| 2013 | $711,244 |
| 2014 | $169,175 |
| 2015 | $1,330,852 |
| 2016 | $654,929 |
| 2017 | $171,407 |
| 2018 | $93,260 |
| 2019 | $169,390 |
| 2021 | $640,513 |
| 2022 | $37,464 |
| 2023 | $528,807 |
| 2024 | $170,534 |
| 2025 | $18,810 |
| Total: | $26,342,199 |
While Padraig Harrington has competed on both the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions circuits, he earned the bulk of his prize money from the former. According to the PGA Tour website, Harrington’s lifetime winnings on the tour total $26.3 million, compared to just $9 million from the PGA Tour Champions. The information in the table above refers strictly to his winnings on the regular PGA Tour, and we’ll also outline his income from the Champions Tour later.
Early PGA Tour Prize Money
Padraig Harrington began competing on the PGA Tour in 1996, playing just one official event in his debut year. He earned just $24,025 in 1996, followed by a brief spike to $104,719 the following year. That said, for the remainder of the decade, his annual winnings remained within the mid-five-figure range.
In the early 2000s, Harrington began increasing his activity, typically competing in eight or nine tournaments per year. For the first two years of the decade, his annual winnings ranged between $240,000 and $265,000; however, there is a caveat. These figures relate to what’s classed as “official money” and don’t include earnings from outside this scope. This is important because in 2002, Padraig won the Target World Challenge, an unofficial tournament, earning him $1 million in prize money. His winnings are still listed in the PGA Tour database, but are not included in his annual total. Thus, while his official money for the year was roughly $807,000, he actually earned closer to $1.84 million.
Peak PGA Tour Winnings
The period between 2004 and 2010 is widely regarded as the peak of Padraig Harrington’s career, at least in terms of prize money. During this time, he never earned less than $1.3 million per year in official money. In three of these years (2005, 2007, and 2009), he earned approximately $2.6 million annually.
There were two driving factors behind this increase in winnings: activity and placement. Not only did Harrington begin competing in between 15 and 20 events per year, but he also won several tournaments. In the three years mentioned above, the following tournaments were responsible for his biggest paydays:
- The Open Championship (winner, 2007) – $1,542,450
- Barclays Classic (winner, 2005) – $1,035,000
- The Honda Classic (winner, 2005) – $990,000
- World Golf Championships Bridgestone (2nd, 2009) – $665,000
While all three years represent some of his most lucrative in the sport, none of them were career-highs. Harrington’s highest-earning year on the PGA Tour came in 2008, when he secured $4.3 million in official money. That year, he won two events, each paying him seven figures in prize money. His victories at The Open Championship and PGA Championship paid out $1.5 million and $1.35 million, respectively.
Late Career Winnings
From 2011 onwards, Padraig’s annual winnings began to decline. He still realized two seven-figure years, but typically earned low to mid six figures. In 2020, he joined the PGA Tour Champions circuit, which effectively guaranteed that his earnings from the regular tour would never rebound.
PGA Tour Champions Winnings
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $34,950 |
| 2022 | $3,293,255 |
| 2023 | $2,028,771 |
| 2024 | $1,718,183 |
| 2025 | $1,941,711 |
| Total: | $9,016,870 |
The PGA Tour Champions circuit is reserved explicitly for male professional golfers over the age of 50. It’s proven to be a great way for older athletes to remain competitive in the sport and continue earning significant money on the course. Other athletes to compete on the tour include Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els, and Davis Love III.
Padraig Harrington made a commitment to join the circuit in 2020, but didn’t compete until the following year, when he crossed the age threshold. That year, he participated in two tournaments towards the end of the year, earning just under $35,000. However, since then, Harrington has won eleven tournaments on the circuit, consistently earning over $1.7 million in official money each year.
In 2022, his first full year, Padraig won four events and earned $3.3 million in prize money. His winnings from those victories included:
- U.S. Senior Open Championship – $720,000
- Charles Schwab Cup Championship – $440,000
- DICK’s Sporting Goods Open – $315,000
- Ascension Charity Classic – $300,000
This remains Harrington’s highest-earning year on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. It was followed by earnings of $2.03 million in 2023, $1.72 million in 2024, and $1.94 million in 2025. In total, Padraig Harrington has earned $9.02 million on the circuit, which represents roughly 25% of his PGA winnings.
Real Estate
Padraig Harrington has lived a life filled with grandeur and luxury thanks to his incredible earnings as a professional golfer. Currently, Padraig lives in a large home in South Dublin with acres of land to practice his swing. The large space also provides plenty of room for his large Bernese Mountain dog, Wilson, to roam around and play. Inside the home, Padraig even has his very own mancave where he displays his golf memorabilia.
Summary
Padraig Harrington has earned millions as a major championship winner on the PGA Tour. While he has been competing since 1996, Harrington has no plans to retire any time soon and will continue competing on the PGA Tour Champions.
Golfers
Zach Johnson Net Worth
Zach Johnson is a professional golfer who earned millions winning major championships and leading the field on the PGA Tour.
| Net Worth: | $35 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 50 |
| Born: | February 24, 1976 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Golfer |
| Last Updated: | Feb 25, 2026 |
Introduction
Zach Johnson is an American professional golfer with an estimated net worth of $35 Million.
Having played professional golf for 21 years, Zach Johnson has racked up 519 event appearances and 12 wins. Thus far, his total prize money has reached an estimated $48.7 million, translating to an average annual earnings of $2.32 million and $93,888 per event.
Still, this doesn’t paint the whole picture, as Johnson also earns additional income from brand deals with companies such as Allianz, BMW, FootJoy, John Deere, Rolex, and Titleist.
Quick Facts
- Lifetime PGA Tour winnings total $50 million
- This figure doesn’t include additional earnings from bonuses
- Peak annual prize money of $4.8 million in 2015
- Sponsor history includes John Deere, PXG, and Titleist
Prize Money
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $57,000 |
| 2004 | $2,417,685 |
| 2005 | $1,796,441 |
| 2006 | $2,452,250 |
| 2007 | $3,922,338 |
| 2008 | $1,615,123 |
| 2009 | $4,714,813 |
| 2010 | $2,916,993 |
| 2011 | $1,880,406 |
| 2012 | $4,504,244 |
| 2013 | $4,044,509 |
| 2014 | $3,353,417 |
| 2015 | $4,801,487 |
| 2016 | $1,718,703 |
| 2017 | $2,362,968 |
| 2018 | $1,957,635 |
| 2019 | $603,160 |
| 2020 | $777,727 |
| 2021 | $1,241,402 |
| 2022 | $610,693 |
| 2023 | $807,499 |
| 2024 | $496,380 |
| 2025 | $918,478 |
| 2026 | $38,697 |
| Total: | $50,010,048 |
According to the official PGA Tour website, Zach Johnson has earned approxinmately $50 million in prize money during his career. His career on the circuit spans 24 years, and so there’s a lot to cover here. Let’s start by discussing his earnings from the earliest years of his career and work our way up from there.
Early Career Winnings
Zach Johnson joined the PGA Tour in 2001, but didn’t start competing until the following year. He played in just two events and finished tied for seventeenth in the BellSouth Classic, earning $57,000. In 2003, Johnson entered only the John Deere Classic, but he missed the cut.
As it turns out, this wouldn’t really matter, as just a year later, Zach realized one of the most explosive starts to a career we’ve ever seen. Typically, athletes in sports that don’t offer fixed salaries but instead rely on prize money take a few years to warm up. You would expect their annual winnings to gradually increase in their first few years, potentially exceeding $1 million by the fourth or fifth year.
Johnson, on the other hand, decided that the normal route was too slow. In 2004, he entered 30 events, making the cut in 24. Zach won the BellSouth Classic, earning $810,000, and also placed high in several other events, taking home six-figure purses from six other tournaments. He earned a total of $2.42 million for the year.
Peak Career Prize Money
And just like that, we’re already entering the period that is widely regarded as Zach Johnson’s peak. Between 2005 and 2018, he never earned less than $1.6 million per year on the course. In several of these years, Johnson earned more than $4 mllion in prize money, which are still the highest-earning years of his career to date.
The first of which was 2009, when he won two events and placed high in at least half a dozen more. Johnson earned $4.71 million that year, and naturally, his tournament wins accounted for the lion’s share of this figure. This included a purse of $1.1 million for winning the Valero Texas Open and $972,000 for winning the Sony Open in Hawaii. Johnson also earned $4.5 million in 2012, $4.04 million in 2013, and $4.8 million (a career-high) in 2015.
Although Zach still competes on the PGA Tour, his earnings haven’t been anywhere near the same level since 2019. He typically takes home between $500,000 and $1 million in prize money per year.
Real Estate
According to reports, Zach Johnson previously owned a 3,713-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Sanford, Florida. It’s believed that he acquired the property for $625,000 in October 2016 and sold it for $640,000 in February 2018. However, we were unable to confirm the accuracy of these reports during our research.
Golfers
Kevin Na Net Worth
Kevin Na has earned a fortune as a professional golfer on the PGA Tour, winning millions of dollars all over the world.
| Net Worth: | $25 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 42 |
| Born: | September 15, 1983 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional Golfer |
| Last Updated: | Feb 25, 2026 |
Introduction
Kevin Na is a Korean American professional golfer with an estimated net worth of $25 Million.
Quick Facts
- Earned apporixmately $37.8 million on the PGA Tour
- Peak annual PGA prize money of $3.63 million in 2021
- Reportedly earned $10.7 million with LIV Golf thus far
Prize Money
| Year | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 2003 | $23,375 |
| 2004 | $901,158 |
| 2005 | $1,095,204 |
| 2006 | $146,099 |
| 2007 | $856,669 |
| 2008 | $1,041,059 |
| 2009 | $2,724,825 |
| 2010 | $2,021,815 |
| 2011 | $2,336,965 |
| 2012 | $2,029,943 |
| 2013 | $110,864 |
| 2014 | $3,153,107 |
| 2015 | $2,820,766 |
| 2016 | $3,441,291 |
| 2017 | $1,728,350 |
| 2018 | $3,578,316 |
| 2019 | $2,257,309 |
| 2020 | $2,794,402 |
| 2021 | $3,625,982 |
| 2022 | $935,513 |
| Total: | $37,623,012 |
Kevin Na played on the PGA Tour for roughly 2 decades, from 2003 to 2022, and won 5 events. According to the official PGA Tour website, he earned a total of $37.8 million in prize money before signing with LIV Golf at the end of 2022. We gathered all the information on Na’s annual winnings during his PGA tenure to analyze how his on-course income evolved over time.
Before we go into further detail, bear in mind that, prior to 2013, a PGA Tour season ran from January to December. However, beginning in 2013, the seasons commenced in September and concluded in August of the following year. Thus, when we discuss “2014 winnings,” we refer to tournaments held between September 2013 and August 2014.
Early PGA Winnings
When Na debuted on the tour in 2003, he played in just two events, earning approximately $23,375. He was just nineteen years old at the time. However, the following year (regarded as his first full season), Na took home an impressive $901,000, signaling an impressive start to his career.
Na’s first seven-figure year would come in 2005, when he earned just under $1.1 million in prize money. That year, he entered 32 events and made the cut in 14, but just two of them were responsible for roughly 66% of his annual winnings. This comprised the FBR Open, where he tied for second place and earned $457,600, and the Chrysler Classic of Tucson, which earned him $264,000.
During the next few years, Kevin’s annual winnings were on somewhat of a rollercoaster. The year after his first seven-figure season, he earned just $146,000, though this was less to do with performance and primarily from the PGA Tour adjusting its season start/end dates. This was followed by a rapid bounce-back to $856,700 in 2007 and $1.04 million in 2008.
Peak PGA Tour Winnings
It’s challenging to define an exact period of Kevin Na’s tenure on the PGA Tour that would be considered his peak years. Between 2009 and 2021, his annual prize money typically ranged from $2 million to $3.6 million. There were a couple of exceptions to this rule, like in 2013 when he won just $110,864. In the years that he earned at least $2 million, he often won between $150,000 and $250,000 from many events.
That said, a few years stand out in particular, including 2014 ($3.15 million), 2016 ($3.44 million), 2018 ($3.58 million), and 2021 ($3.63 million). All four of these years have one thing in common: Na earned over $600,000 from a single tournament at least once in each of them, and in some cases, more than $1 million.
In fact, here are his five largest paychecks from the aforementioned seasons:
- A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier (2018) – $1.31 million
- Sony Open in Hawaii (2021) – $1.19 million
- The Memorial Tournament (2014) – $669,600
- Frys.com Open (2016) – $648,000
- Genesis Open (2018) – $633,000
LIV Golf Prize Money
In 2022, Kevin Na became one of the many star players to sign with LIV Golf. The organization has been handing out nine-figure contracts like they’re Tic Tacs. According to reports, Jon Rahm inked the most valuable LIV Golf contract, worth approximately $300 million. Phil Mickelson secured a $200 million contract, and Brooks Koepka negotiated a $130 million deal. Other golfers to sign nine-figure contracts include Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau.
Unfortunately, the details behind Kevin Na’s contract with LIV Golf were never disclosed to the public. However, there have been reports on how much he’s earned thus far with the organization. In February 2026, National Club Golfer reported that Na had earned roughly $10.7 million in prize money since signing with LIV Golf. He’s currently the 47th-highest-earning member of the tour.
Ex-Fiancé Lawsuit
At the beginning of 2013, Kevin Na met a Korean woman through a dating service, and within just twelve months, they were engaged. The wedding was scheduled for November 2014, but the couple broke up a month before. The woman, whose last name is Chung, claimed that Kevin broke up with her over the phone, declaring that he no longer loved her.
The families formally decided to call off the wedding in October 2014, after Kevin returned the presents he had received from the bride. Chung also reportedly received a $100,000 watch from Na, which she did not return.
Unexpectedly, the Chung family threatened Kevin with negative consequences if he refused to consent to marry the woman. A few days after Kevin turned her down, her mother appeared at the Korean Open carrying a banner pleading with Kevin to grant her daughter’s life back.
The woman later filed a lawsuit against Kevin Na, which was extensively covered by the Korean media. She alleged that she had been used as some sort of sex-slave, and filed the lawsuit to prevent other victims in the future. Kevin countersued for defamation and won the case. He later mentioned in an interview that Chung was ordered to pay him around $50,000 in damages.
Summary
Kevin has experienced many ups and downs throughout his career and personal life. However, this has not stopped him from achieving his goal of pursuing a respectable golfing career. Now that he has resigned from the PGA Tour to pursue fame and fortune on the LIV Tour, he will surely succeed with his careful preparation and game-winning temperament.
-
Richest People2 years agoThe 30 Richest People in the World
-
Richest People2 years agoThe 50 Richest Rappers in the World
-
Richest People2 years agoThe World’s 50 Richest Singers
-
Richest People2 years agoThe 50 Richest Actors in the World
-
Richest People2 years agoThe 50 Richest Athletes On Earth
-
Entrepreneurs2 years agoJeff Bezos Net Worth
-
Richest People2 years agoThe 50 Richest DJs in the World
-
Top Lists3 years agoThe 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard