Golf
Dustin Johnson Just Tied the Biggest Payout in PGA Tour History
Dustin Johnson has been the most dominant player on the PGA Tour for most of the year, and he just got paid for it.
Johnson finished the regular season with a win at the 2020 TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club. He shot a final-round 68 to finish off a three-shot victory, and he made financial history in the process. With the win, Johnson also tied the biggest payday in PGA Tour history. It capped off a historic earnings stretch for the now-second-richest golfer of all time.
Dustin Johnson won the TOUR Championship to cap off a historic run of golf
Because of his stellar play all season, Johnson started the TOUR Championship in first place in the FedEx Cup standings. Under the new setup, that meant Johnson began the tournament at 10-under-par.
The next closest player started at 8-under, so Johnson already had a massive head start to the championship. He didn’t let it go to waste, either.
Johnson started the tournament with a 3-under 67. After an even par 70 in round two, Johnson left the door open for the players behind him to catch up. But a third-round 64 vaulted Johnson back into a big lead heading into the final round.
DJ let a few players get close to him during Monday’s final round, but he finished strongly to shoot 68 and win the TOUR Championship by three strokes. It’s Johnson’s first-ever FedEx Cup title, but he will be more excited about the prize that comes with it.
Johnson earned a record $15 million with the win
Johnson has earned a ton of money throughout his PGA Tour career, but he just notched the highest-earning day of his entire golf life on Monday.
With the TOUR Championship win, Johnson banks a record $15 million, which ties the highest payout for a single win in the history of the PGA Tour. Rory McIlroy, who won the FedEx Cup last year, took home the $15 million in the first season it was introduced.
Before 2019, the FedEx Cup carried with it a $10 million prize. Apparently, the PGA Tour didn’t think that was enough, so they boosted it to $15 million last season.
Johnson passes Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk to become the third-richest golfer of all time
With his latest win, Johnson passes Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk to become the third-richest golfer of all time in terms of on-course earnings. He’s now earned nearly $85 million over the course of his incredible career, and that doesn’t even count FedEx Cup earnings.
Only Tiger Woods ($120 million) and Phil Mickelson ($92 million) have earned more in tournament winnings in the history of the PGA Tour.
Johnson is still only 36 years old, so he has a few years left of winning golf on Tour. If these last few weeks are any indication, he could eventually pass Woods as the richest golfer of all time.