Are PGA Tour players fairly paid?

With all the talk of breakaway leagues and “obnoxious greed”, we decided to canvas the opinion of the public as to whether the best golfers in the world receive adequate compensation for their efforts. And the results speak for themselves.

For context, when

Tiger Woods turned pro in 1996, the average PGA Tour player made less than $200,000 a year. Fast forward to now, and that number is approaching $1.5m. Even accounting for inflation, Tiger’s impact has been incredible. As Rory Mcilroy said ahead of The Players Championship: “We should all feel very fortunate we played at a time when he was around, because we’ve all benefited.”

But could it be argued the world’s best deserve a bigger piece of the pie? In this era, those who generate the revenue and interest aren’t rewarded in prize money. For example, a tied-15th finish pays out the same whether it’s Mcilroy or Troy Merritt. That was perhaps the motive behind Phil Mickelson’s recent antics. Behind Woods, nobody since the turn of the millennium has moved the needle like Phil the Thrill. So, while PGA Tour players make vast sums, the answer to this question is more intricate than a simple yes or no.