Golf

Top Earning PGA Caddies in 2024: Where Would They Rank on the Overall Prize Money List?

By
Colin Lynch
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Colin Lynch Sports Editor

Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on Finixio's The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.

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Published19 Aug 2024

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Ted Scott, Scottie Scheffler

It’s no secret that prize money in professional golf tournaments has skyrocketed over the past few years. This has led to some professional golfers earning staggering amounts in one golf season, but their caddies also earn more than ever.

Who are the top-earning caddies on tour, and where does that rank them on the overall money list with other golfers?

How Are Caddies Compensations Calculated?

Typically, caddies earn an average weekly wage between $1,500 and $4,000, depending on their experience and the player they work with. This base fee, often around $2,500, can be significantly supplemented by performance bonuses: caddies typically receive 5% of earnings when their player makes the cut, 7% for a top-10 finish, and 10% for a tournament win.

In addition to these earnings, caddies can benefit from endorsements and other revenue streams, making their role financially rewarding based on their player’s success.

So, who are the top-earning caddies in 2024?

 

Rank   Caddie Golfer  Caddie Earnings   PGA Money List Rank
1 Ted Scott Scottie Scheffler $2.7 million 59th
2 Austin Kaiser Xander Schauffele $1.5 million 85th
3 John Ellis Wyndham Clark $950,000 118th
4 Harry Diamond Rory McIlroy $935,000 119th
5 Joe Skovron Ludvig Aberg $740,000 130th
6 Carl Smith Sahith Theegala $739,000 131st
7 Jonatan Jakovac Colin Morikawa $738,500 132nd
8 Shota Hayafuji Hideki Matsuyama $687,000 133rd
9 Joe Lacava Patrick Cantlay $534,000 151st
10 Darren Reynolds Shane Lowry $518,000 152nd

These caddies all had to guide their golfers to some of the best years of their careers. How did some of these caddies end up on the bag for the top golfers in the world?

1) Ted Scott ( Scottie Sheffler)

Approximate earnings – $2.7 million | 59th on the money list

Ted Scott is in a league of his own.

Scottie Scheffler is on track to set a record for the most money earned in a single PGA Tour season, and his success is also paying off significantly for his caddie, Ted Scott. With six victories, nine additional top-10 finishes, and only two finishes outside the top 10, Scheffler’s stellar performance means that Scott has likely earned substantial money this year.

It’s no surprise that Scott is the No. 1 money earner in 2024 among caddies on tour.

Thanks to Scheffler’s incredible season, Scott has shared the financial rewards of such consistent high-level play. The following chart paints the picture of just how dominant Scheffler has been and how that has helped both his and Scott’s bank accounts in 2024.

 

Event Finish Scheffler money Rate Scott money
The Sentry 5 $690,500 7% $48,335
American Express T-17 $132,300 5% $6,615
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am T-6 $642,500 7% $44,975
WM Phoenix Open T-3 $519,200 7% $36,344
Genesis Invitational T-10 $455,000 7% $31,850
Arnold Palmer Invitational 1 $4,000,000 10% $400,000
The Players 1 $4,500,000 10% $450,000
Texas Children’s Houston Open T-2 $553,735 7% $38,761
Masters 1 $3,600,000 10% $360,000
RBC Heritage 1 $3,600,000 10% $360,000
PGA Championship T-8 $521,418 7% $36,500
Charles Schwab Challenge T-2 $809,900 7% $56,693
Memorial Tournament 1 $4,000,000 10% $400,000
U.S. Open T-41 $72,305 5% $3,766
Travelers Championship 1 $3,600,000 10% $360,000
The Open Championship T-7 $451,833 7% $31,628
Fed Ex St. Jude Championship 4 $960,000 7% $67,200
TOTAL $29,108,691 $2,732,667

 

So, where does this currently put Ted Scott on the money list?

Ted Scott would rank 58th on the PGA Tour money list, just ahead of Jordan Spieth, who earned $2,732,591 in 2024. Scott also ranks higher than other notable pros on the money list, such as Kurt Kitiyama, Matt Kuchar, Joel Dahmen, and many others.

The real shocking part is that Scheffler has his biggest potential purse ahead of him in 2024. As it currently stands, Scheffler is poised to take the most considerable points lead ever into the playoffs of the Fed-Ex Cup, which determines the Tour Champion. The winner of the Fed Ex Cup takes home a staggering $18 million. If Scheffler continues his torrid pace, Scott could earn nearly another $2 million in 2024.

That would jump Scott into the top 30 of all money earners on the PGA Tour in 2024 without even taking a swing or making a putt.

2) Austin Kaiser (Xander Schauffele)

Approximate earnings – $1.5 million | 85th on the money list

Xander Schauffele, who turned pro in 2015 and quickly earned his PGA Tour card by 2017, has had only one caddie by his side throughout his professional journey—Austin Kaiser. Their connection dates back to their college days at San Diego State, where they were both part of the Aztecs’ golf team from 2011 to 2015.

Scauffele and Kaiser are having an excellent 2024. Schauffele, who claimed his first two major titles this year at the PGA Championship and the British Open, was in strong contention at the Olympics in Paris, sharing the lead after the second and third rounds. However, his bid to replicate his gold medal performance fell short as a final-round 73 left him seven strokes behind Scheffler.

Still, his 2024 has been excellent. Aside from his two major victories, Schauffele has 13 top-10 finishes, six of which were top-5.

Following Schauffele’s recent victory at The Open, his season earnings have already exceeded $17 million. Given the typical caddie earnings structure, Kaiser, who has been with Schauffele since the start, has already earned over $1.5 million in 2024 alone.

His $1.5 million prize money would rank Kaiser 85th on the prize money list, just ahead of Beau Hossler and C.T. Pan.

3) John Ellis (Wyndham Clark)

Approximate earnings – $950,000 | 118th on the money list

Throughout his career, Clark has had John Ellis as his caddie. Ellis, who played college golf at the University of Oregon, turned professional in 2003 and enjoyed success on the Canadian Tour, winning the Order of Merit in 2008 after securing three victories.

Clark’s breakthrough on the PGA Tour came at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, where he defeated Xander Schauffele to claim his first professional victory.

The following month, he edged out four-time major winner Rory McIlroy by a single stroke to capture his first major title at the 2023 U.S. Open. In 2024, Clark narrowly missed out on his fourth PGA Tour title at The Players Championship, finishing tied for runner-up alongside Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele, as Scottie Scheffler won. Clark’s most recent victory came at the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, for his lone win of 2024.

Despite only having one win in 2024, Clark does have seven top-10s and has finished as runner-up twice.

Ellis would rank 118th on the money list, just ahead of Dylan Wu and Alejandro Tosti.

4) Harry Diamond (Rory McIlroy)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $935,000 | 119th on the money list

Rory McIlroy’s right-hand man and caddie, Harry Diamond, has been on Rory’s bag since late 2017. The two have enjoyed significant success together, securing nine PGA Tour victories and two FedEx Cup titles in 2019 and 2022. Their friendship dates back to their junior days at Holywood Golf Club, where they formed a close bond.

Diamond was an exceptional player in his own right, representing Ireland as a youngster. In 2012, he won the West of Ireland Championship, earning a spot in that year’s Irish Open. Beyond their professional partnership, Diamond has been a steadfast presence in McIlroy’s life, even serving as Best Man at McIlroy’s wedding to Erica Stoll in 2017.

Despite being unable to capture that elusive fifth major in 2024, McIlroy has put together a very good season. Aside from Scheffler, McIlroy is one of five players with multiple victories in 2024.

5) Joe Skovron (Ludvig Aberg)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $740,000 | 130th on the money list

A surprising announcement in December of 2023 revealed that Ludvig Aberg had parted ways with his caddie, Jack Clarke, who had been with him since he turned pro. Clark helped Aberg become the first golfer to compete in a Ryder Cup before ever playing in a major championship, contributing to Europe’s victory in Rome.

Aberg partnered with Joe Skovron, Rickie Fowler’s former caddie, in 2024. Fowler and Skovron ended their partnership in August 2022, but Skovron quickly found success with another rising star, 21-year-old Tom Kim. Skovron was on the bag for both of Kim’s victories at the Shriners Children’s Open.

Skovron and Aberg got off to a slow start in 2024 but quickly picked up steam. Despite not notching a win in 2024, Aberg tallied 11 top-25 finishes, seven top-10s, and a runner-up finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Masters.

The $740,000 earnings would rank Skovron 130th on the 2024 money list, just ahead of Vince Whaley and Greyson Sigg.

6) Carl Smith  (Sahith Theegala)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $739,000 | 131st on the money list

Sahith Theegala is still searching for his first PGA Tour win of 2024, but he’s quickly emerging as a rising star and seems poised for a breakthrough. Aiding him on this journey is his experienced caddie, Carl Smith, who plays a crucial role in Theegala’s continued ascent on the tour.

So far in 2024, Theegala has notched seven top 10s and two second-place finishes.

7) Johnathan Jakovac  (Colin Morikawa)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $738,500 | 132nd on the money list

Collin Morikawa’s caddie, Jonathan “JJ” Jakovac, has a solid golfing background. As a player, Jakovac led California State University, Chico, to two national championship victories during college.

Although Jakovac turned professional, he didn’t make it through Q-School. However, while living in Napa, California, Jakovac recognized Morikawa’s potential and saw an opportunity to collaborate. He contacted a friend who was an agent to connect with Morikawa’s team. Their partnership officially began at the Pebble Beach sectional qualifier for the 2019 U.S. Open.

Since teaming up, Morikawa and Jakovac have achieved significant success, winning the 2020 Workday Charity Open, the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2019 Barracuda Championship. Their momentum continued into 2021, with victories at the WGC-Workday Championship, The Open Championship, and the DP World Tour Championship.

8) Shota Hayafuji  (Hideki Matsuyama)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $687,000 | 133rd on the money list

Hayafuji would be a bit higher on this list, but he had to sit out during Matsuyama’s victory at the St. Jude Championship, in which Matsuyama won $3.6 million. Hayafuji sat out due to a robbery that left both him and Matsuyama’s coach a bit shaken following the trip to the Olympics.

9) Joe Lacava  (Patrick Cantlay)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $534,000 | 151st on the money list

Joe LaCava has been Patrick Cantlay’s caddie since May 2023, with the pair first teaming up at the Wells Fargo Championship. Cantlay’s full-time caddie, LaCava, had previously worked with him at the 2021 Northern Trust. Their partnership began after Cantlay parted ways with his long-time caddie, Matt Minister, following the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

LaCava is a familiar name in the golf world, primarily due to his long tenure as Tiger Woods’ caddie from 2011 until their split in mid-2023. Notably, LaCava was on the bag for Woods during his historic victory at the 2019 Masters, where Woods secured his 15th Major title.

10) Darren Reynolds  (Shane Lowry)

Approximate  2024 earnings – $518,000 | 152nd  on the money list

Shane Lowry turned professional in 2009 and has worked with just three caddies throughout his career, including his current caddie, Darren Reynolds. Lowry brought Reynolds on board at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, and despite missing the cut in that tournament, their partnership quickly solidified. Reynolds was by Lowry’s side when he and Rory McIlroy secured victory at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Reynolds, whose professional caddying career began in 1998, has previously worked with notable golfers such as Paul McGinley, Paul Dunne, and Roger Chapman. His extensive experience has made him a valuable asset to Lowry as they continue their journey together.