13 golfers have made $50 million on the PGA Tour, and it might be a while until there's a 14th

There are 13 golfers in PGA Tour history who have reached the $50 million plateau.

It may be a while until we see a 14th.

Even with the massive increase in prize money coming in 2023, there's a variety of reasons why we may not see No. 14 for some time.

Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Jason Day are the most recent golfers to reach $50 million. Adam Scott, meanwhile, just became the seventh to reach $60 million.

They are part of an exclusive group headlined by Tiger Woods, whose $120 million (and counting) will likely stay No. 1 a while. Nos. 2 and 3 on the list - Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson - are now members of the LIV Golf League. Nos. 4 and 5 are PGA Tour Champions stalwarts these days.

Jason Day is 13th and the last on the list of the current $50 million earners. Right below him is Ernie Els, tantalizingly close at $49,339,400, just $660,600 away. Now a regular on the Champions circuit, Els' days making money on the "regular" Tour are probably over.

Then it's Bubba Watson at No. 15 at $48,049,778, also now a member of LIV Golf. Behind him is Zach Johnson (16) at $47,768,230, Davis Love III (17) at $44,959,243 and Steve Stricker (18) is at $44,936,354.

Webb Simpson practices at the TPC Southwind driving range ahead of the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports Network)

Perhaps the next $50 million man will be Webb Simpson. He's still more than $5 million away ($44,260,188 so far) but at age 37 probably has some good earning years left.

Stewart Cink is No. 20 on the money list at $42,847,649, with Rickie Fowler at No. 21. With $42,355,591 in earnings, Fowler, 34, no doubt has time on his side, if he can rekindle his game.

Fowler made just $1,072,929 in 22 events (13 made cuts) last season and just $3,110,142 combined over his last three seasons. This compared to what Fowler earned per season the ten years prior:

• $3,945,810

• $4,235,237

• $6,083,197

• $2,713,563

• $5,773,430

• $4,806,117

• $1,816,742

• $3,066,293

• $2,084,681

• $2,857,108

The next three on the list are Charles Howell III ($42,025,458), David Toms ($41,901,709) and Brandt Snedeker ($40,539,179).

Maybe the next $50 million man is the most recent $40 million man: Hideki Matsuyama. Now at $40,439,137, he is No. 25 on the all-time list and just 30 years old. His 31st birthday is Feb. 25 and he's expected to be a force on the Tour for years to come.

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Story originally appeared on GolfWeek

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