Dustin Johnson’s Caddie-Brother Austin Incredibly Won More Money Than Tiger Woods in 2020
Many will remember 2020 as a tough year due to the pandemic and shutdown of the world, including sports, as well as the social injustice demonstrations, and a historic number of hurricanes. Austin Johnson will have fonder memories of the year because he carried his brother Dustin Johnson’s bag to victory four times, including his second career major and first green jacket at the Masters. Both Johnson brothers have made millions in 2020. Here’s a look at the extraordinary amount that Austin Johnson made and, incredibly, it’s more than Tiger Woods.
Dustin and Austin Johnson have another strong season
Since Austin Johnson joined his brother Dustin on the PGA Tour as his caddie in 2013, he’s done quite well for himself. As a caddie, which typically receives a 10 percent commission for the golfer’s tournament winnings, Austin Johnson has earned at a minimum $500,000 per year for six straight seasons. Dustin won $5 million a year during that same stretch.
In 2017, according to Forbes, Austin Johnson earned approximately $1.6 million as his brother won six times. During the 2019-20 season, Johnson won three times, the first two at the Travelers Championship and the Northern Trust. Dustin earned $1.33 million at the Travelers and another $1.71 million at the Northern Trust.
Those wins, plus his other earnings, Johnson totaled $5.83 million for the year. Austin received $583,000.
Dustin and Austin Johnson win Tour Championship and huge bonus
Austin Johnson, like most caddies, would have been content earning a half-million dollars for the year. In September, at the season-ending Tour Championship, Johnson got a significant bonus when his brother won the title, earning the $15 million payout, or 25 percent of the FedEx bonus pool money.
The younger Johnson earned $1.5 million for that event alone. That amount was more than the winner’s share in 24 of the 37 PGA Tour events played last season, including Dustin’s victory at The Travelers. Incredibly, that amount would rank in the top 500 for the PGA Tour’s career all-time money list.
Brothers Johnson close 2020 with Masters win and big payday
Dustin and Austin Johnson started the 2020-21 PGA Tour season back in September at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club. Johnson finished in his sixth and won $424,000.
After testing positive for COVID-19 in October, Johnson returned to action at the Vivint Houston Open in early November, where he finished in second place. He brought home a $623,000 paycheck. In two events, Austin Johnson had already made $100,000.
This week, Johnson and Johnson again proved that they are the best tandem in golf as the brothers navigated Augusta National Golf Club with ease, running away from the field and winning in record-setting fashion at 20-under par. For his victory, Dustin Johnson won a green jacket and more than $2.07 million.
While Austin Johnson won’t have a green jacket, he gets to keep his white jumpsuit, won more than $200,000, and most impressively, increased his annual winnings to more than $2.3 million for the year. That places him 28th on the 2020 money list ahead of Tiger Woods, Jason Day, and Gary Woodland. Woods won $2.08 million.
For the Johnson brothers, 2020 will indeed be a year to remember.
