Tiger and Phil are the duo known for their on-course rivalry and friendship. Tiger Woods, who turned professional in 1996 and won his first Masters in 1997, has won 82 PGA Tour events and is now a co-founder of TGL.

Phil Mickelson turned professional in 1992 and won at least one PGA Tour event in each of four consecutive years (1993-1996). Mickelson has won 45 PGA Tour events before he joined the Saudi-backed circuit in 2022.

For more than two decades, these golf legends have shared sport’s biggest stages. As the season comes to a close, here’s an overview of their first and most recent five years on the  PGA TOUR earnings, according to Spotrac.

Tiger Woods’ Career Earnings

In 1996, Woods earned $906,171 in his rookie season from PGA Tour events and bonuses. His breakthrough year came in 1997, when his total cash earnings rose to $2,376,833, following his Master's victory and strong PGA Tour performances, bringing his cumulative total to $3,283,004.

In 1998, Woods recorded $2,241,117 in total earnings, pushing his career cumulative figure to $5,524,120. The following year marked a major leap; his dominant 1999 season produced $6,816,585 in total cash earnings, nearly doubling his career cumulative amount to $12,340,705.

The peak of this five-year stretch came in 2000, one of the greatest seasons in golf history. Woods earned $10,188,321 that year, including $2.64 million from majors, lifting his cumulative career earnings to $22,529,027 by the end of the season.

Woods last five years on the course in 2019, he recorded $3,304,615 in total cash earnings, lifting his cumulative career total to $131,742,259. He earned $2,468,038 in 2020, taking his cumulative figure to $134,210,297.

In 2021, Woods collected $8,064,200 in total cash, most of it from bonuses, despite not competing on the PGA Tour after suffering multiple leg fractures in a serious car accident in February 2021. His cumulative earnings rose to $142,274,497.

The following year, 2022, Woods made only limited appearances as he continued his recovery. His total cash earnings for 2022 stood at $43,500, bringing his cumulative total to $142,317,997. Despite multiple surgeries and ongoing challenges with his right leg and ankle, Woods returned to competition in 2023. 

He earned $12,379,120 that season, with bonuses, pushing his cumulative career earnings to $154,697,117. 

Phil Mickelson Career Earnings

In 1992, his rookie-season earnings totaled $343,428, establishing his early footing on tour. His earnings climbed in 1993 to $628,735, lifting his cumulative total to $972,163.

Mickelson continued his upward trajectory in 1994, earning $763,316, followed by top finishes, which pushed his cumulative career earnings to $1,735,479. In 1995, he recorded $675,777 in total cash, bringing his cumulative figure to $2,411,256.

His breakout financial year of this early stretch came in 1996, when Mickelson earned $1,697,799 in total cash, taking his career earnings to $4,109,055 by the end of his fifth season. 

Phil Mickelson’s last five years stretch on the PGA Tour.  In 2017, Mickelson earned $2,102,599 in total cash, lifting his cumulative career earnings to $86,736,542.

His resurgence came in 2018, when Mickelson ended a winless drought dating back to July 2013 by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The victory, his first in nearly five years, helped drive his season’s total cash earnings to $4,595,187, raising his cumulative total to $91,331,729.

Mickelson recorded $2,440,221 in total earnings in 2019, followed by $1,603,908 in 2020, which pushed his cumulative figure to $95,375,858.

His late-career moment arrived in 2021. At age 50, Mickelson captured the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, becoming the oldest major champion in golf history. That season, he earned $8,707,199 in total cash, including bonuses, bringing his cumulative PGA TOUR earnings to $104,083,057.

In monetary terms, Woods outperformed Mickelson on the course.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu