Connect with us

19th Hole

Phil Mickelson is the highest paid athlete for 2022…and LIV pros dominate the top 10 golfer list

Published

on

Whatever the thoughts on LIV Golf, and there are quite a few out there, one thing is for sure – it has put a lot of money into quite a few bank accounts.

On Friday, Forbes revealed the list of highest paid golfers for 2022, and according to the hugely respected financial report, the organization has boosted the top-10 golfers’ income by around $370 million!

The recent third LIV event concluded last night at Bedminster, with recent recruits Charles Howell III and Jason Kokrak starting the final round 14 and 15 shots behind fellow newcomer Henrik Stenson.

Much of the golfing world believes some players are being dishonest about the reasons for joining the Saudi-backed tour – many wanting confirmation it is all about the huge money offered rather than more free time, playing conditions etc. – and Howell was at pains to point out the same as many of his fellow players.

Even with over $40 million in the bank via a long PGA Tour career, that amount could be chicken-feed if Forbes are right about the difference LIV can make.

Bryson DeChambeau may say he wants to be part of a revolutionary tour from the beginning, but according to Forbes, his $62 million upfront payment has lifted him to third on the golfer’s earnings list and 11th in the list of highest paid athletes.

Bryson’s supposed big rival, Brooks Koepka, who beat him senseless in a grudge version of The Match, is listed just one place behind his foe in 4th place, whilst Tiger Woods – ‘The GOAT’ for many golf fans – lags at number 5 after refusing what Greg Norman called a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer.

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson “pocketed $97 million in the last year, including an estimated $62 million signing bonus from LIV in May.” That takes him to second for golfers and fifth on the athlete’s list, and DJ isn’t shy in mentioning why he left – “Play less golf, play for more money—it just made sense.”

However, despite ‘Shipnuck-gate’ and the fact he has done very little in three LIV events so far, three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson leads the way.

Joining LIV as a way of “leveraging” against the PGA Tour, Forbes reports Lefty to have received half of his $200 million agreement upfront, contributing to a yearly income of $138 million and putting him on top of all other athletes in the rich list.

As well as DJ and Lefty, other Green Jacket-holders/LIV jumpers make the rankings for top-10 earning golfers.

Patrick Reed, Charles Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia have made huge amounts of money since their leap to LIV, whilst two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson is ready to play his first event over the next few months. Rumors also persist that fellow Masters champions Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama are ready to join.

For the LIV team, nabbing Matsuyama would be a huge plus in their efforts to take their idea worldwide, with the Asian market – and in particular Japan – being seen as big enough to have reportedly offered the biggest incentive to date.

Should the world ranked number 15 agree, Forbes may well need to revise their list.

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 14
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW2
  • LOL3
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP2
  • OB0
  • SHANK10

19th Hole

Butch Harmon reveals what he worked on with Rory McIlroy during visit earlier this year

Published

on

While speaking on the “Son of a Butch” Podcast, legendary swing coach Butch Harmon revealed what he worked on with Rory McIlroy when the four-time major champion went to visit him after the Players Championship this season.

“The work I did with him wasn’t a tremendous amount of changing what he did, it was his attitude and the way he played certain shots. From 150 yards and in he made a full swing like he was hitting a driver and I wanted him to make more 3 quarter swings and chop the follow through off a little. He’s a very high ball hitter, but with short irons high balls aren’t good, it’s hard to control, we wanted to bring the ball flight down.”

The work certainly seemed to help McIlroy, as he went on to win the Zurich Classic alongside Shane Lowry and the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in back-to-back starts.

Rory will now tee it up at Valhalla for the PGA Championship, which is the site of his most recent major victory in 2014.

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK2

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Brandel Chamblee says this technological development was key to Phil Mickelson winning major championships

Published

on

While speaking with GolfWRX, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee shared that he believes the solid core golf ball helped Phil Mickelson win major championships.

“One of the consequences of the solid core golf ball coming around was it put the straightest of hitters in the rough.

“Phil started winning majors in 2004, I don’t think that’s any coincidence. I think he started winning majors after the solid core golf ball came along and put everybody in the rough.

“And so [Phil] is like ‘I got you in the rough, I’m going to kick your a**. This is my game. I’ve been in the rough my whole career. I can go over trees, through trees, around trees.’

“Because he’s got that amazing creativity and Phil is an underrated iron player, phenomenal iron player. Great, great great out of the trouble. If you put the top-40 players on a list and ranked them in terms of accuracy, he would be 40th.

“So, I think that was one of the consequences of the solid core golf balls was it allowed Phil to win major championships.”

Mickelson went on to win the Masters in 2004 as well as five additional majors from 2004-2021 including three total Masters, two PGA Championships, and an Open Championship.

Check out the full interview with Chamblee below:

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 7
  • LEGIT4
  • WOW2
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP3
  • OB1
  • SHANK14

Continue Reading

19th Hole

Former Augusta National employee pleads guilty to transporting stolen Masters memorabilia; Arnold Palmer’s green jacket among stolen items

Published

on

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man was charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National last month.

The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.

The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”

The document was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Since then, more details have emerged about the case.

According to Darren Rovell of Cllct, one of the items that was stolen was Arnold Palmer’s green jacket.

The Chicago Tribune also reported that Globensky was able to steal the merchandise due to his role as a former warehouse coordinator at Augusta National who oversaw the Masters merchandise that was sold.

Rovell states that “A source with intimate knowledge of the case said an Augusta National member, who knew the jacket was missing, contacted a well-known collector who had gained a reputation for tracking down rare items. The member’s goal was to return the jacket to Augusta under the guise of purchasing it in a private sale.”

The plan worked, and the man agreed to sell the jacket for an agreed upon price of $3.6 million. After the sale was complete, the FBI swarmed the house of the thief.

Cllct also reported that Globensky pled guilty in a federal court in Chicago on Wednesday and now faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Chicago Tribune adds that Globensky’s plea deal includes an agreement to provide the government a cashier’s check for $1.5 million in the next few days.

More from the 19th Hole

Your Reaction?
  • 1
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW1
  • LOL1
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending