Woods loses top earner title
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Tiger Woods has ammassed a billion dollar fortune from golf, but according to the latest ranking of the world’s top-earning sportsmen, he was beaten to the top spot in 2015 by Phil Mickelson.
According to Forbes’ latest list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, Woods has been passed for the first time in his pro career as golf’s top earner.
Forbes calculated Mickelson earned $50.8 million last year from on and off the course, beating Tiger’s $50.6 million.
Neither man made his usual amount of money on the course last year, but Lefty’s $2.8 million proved to be the deciding factor versus Woods’ relatively minuscule $0.6 million in an injury-hit season.
On the overall list of athletes, Mickelson ranks eighth and Woods is ninth. Boxer Floyd Mayweather leads by far with $300 million in earnings, followed by Manny Pacquiao at $160 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo ($79.6m) and Lionel Messi ($73.8m) are next, followed by Roger Federer ($67m) and basketball stars LeBron James ($64.8m) and Kevin Durant ($54.1m).
Rory McIlroy claimed 12th spot on the list, with $48.3 million. No other golfer made the top 100.
Forbes earnings figures include all salaries, prize money and bonuses paid out between June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2015. Endorsement incomes are an estimate of sponsorship deals, appearance fees and licensing fees for the 12 months through to June 1 based on conversations with dozens of industry insiders.