LIV Golf Star Earns Over $100M To Beat Scottie Scheffler, Others in Top 100 Highest Paid Athletes of 2025

The LIV Golf star Jon Rahm has beaten the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy to earn the top spot as the highest-paid golfer of the 2025 season. The Spaniard has earned over $100 million and is the only golfer in the top ten highest-earning athletes of the year.

On Wednesday, January 14, Sportico released the list of the highest-earning athletes. Portuguese soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo earned the top spot with earnings of $260 million in 2025.

Speaking of golf, Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm was tenth with annual earnings of $100.7 million. Rory McIlroy is 14th with earnings of $91.2 million and is the highest-earning PGA Tour pro.

World No. 1 golfer Scheffler is placed 16th with annual earnings of $82.9 million. Scheffler’s earnings included $50.9 million from salary and $32 million from endorsements.

The list also includes Bryson DeChambeau ($62.7 million), Tiger Woods ($55 million) and Joaquín Niemann ($47.2 million) at 23rd, 41st and 63rd, respectively.

Highest earnings athletes explored ft. Scottie Scheffler

Here’s a look at the highest-earning athletes in 2025 (as per Sportico):

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer): $260M
2. Canelo Álvarez (Boxing): $137M
3. Lionel Messi (Soccer): $130M
4. Juan Soto (Baseball): $129.2M
5. LeBron James (Basketball): $128.7M
6. Karim Benzema (Soccer): $115M
7. Stephen Curry (Basketball): $105.4M
8. Shohei Ohtani (Baseball): $102.5M
9. Kevin Durant (Basketball): $100.8M
10. Jon Rahm (Golf): $100.7M
11. Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1): $100M
12. Kylian Mbappé (Soccer): $95M
13. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Basketball): $94.3M
14. Rory McIlroy (Golf): $91.2M
15. Max Verstappen (Formula 1): $83M
16. Scottie Scheffler (Golf): $82.9M
17. Patrick Mahomes (Football): $80.3M
18. Erling Haaland (Soccer): $77.9M
19. Josh Allen (Football): $73.2M
20. Justin Herbert (Football): $71.1M
21. Blake Snell (Baseball): $66M
22. Terence Crawford (Boxing): $66M
23. Bryson DeChambeau (Golf): $62.7M
24. Anthony Edwards (Basketball): $62.2M
25. Naoya Inoue (Boxing): $62M
26. Joel Embiid (Basketball): $61M
27. Jayson Tatum (Basketball): $60.4M
28. Jimmy Butler (Basketball): $60.3M
29. Nikola Jokic (Basketball): $60.2M
30. Jake Paul (Boxing): $60M
31. Neymar (Soccer): $60M
32. Devin Booker (Basketball): $59M
33. Lando Norris (Formula 1): $59M
34. Vinícius Júnior (Soccer): $58M
35. Dak Prescott (Football): $57.8M
36. Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis): $57.8M
37. Luka Dončić (Basketball): $57.7M
38. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Basketball): $56.5M
39. Damian Lillard (Basketball): $56.4M
40. Karl-Anthony Towns (Basketball): $54.7M
41. Tiger Woods (Golf): $54.4M
42. Kawhi Leonard (Basketball): $54.1M
43. Tua Tagovailoa (Football): $54M
44. Mohamed Salah (Soccer): $54M
45. Riyad Mahrez (Soccer): $53.5M
46. Tyrese Haliburton (Basketball): $53.4M
47. Paul George (Basketball): $53.3M
48. James Harden (Basketball): $50.9M
49. Jaylen Brown (Basketball): $50.7M
50. Brock Purdy (Football): $50.1M
51. Jannik Sinner (Tennis): $50.1M
52. Anthony Davis (Basketball): $50M
53. Sadio Mané (Soccer): $50M
54. Travis Kelce (Football): $49.6M
55. Donovan Mitchell (Basketball): $49.3M
56. Micah Parsons (Football): $49.3M
57. Jalen Hurts (Football): $48.9M
58. Matthew Stafford (Football): $48.1M
59. Trevor Lawrence (Football): $48M
60. Trae Young (Basketball): $47.7M
61. Zach LaVine (Basketball): $47.6M
62. Zion Williamson (Basketball): $47.4M
63. Joaquin Niemann (Golf): $47.2M
64. Aaron Judge (Baseball): $47.1M
65. Kyrie Irving (Basketball): $46.9M
66. Deshaun Watson (Football): $46.8M
67. Lamar Jackson (Football): $46.4M
68. T.J. Watt (Football): $46.1M
69. Ja Morant (Basketball): $44.5M
70. Bradley Beal (Basketball): $44.5M
71. Ja’Marr Chase (Football): $44.4M

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