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i just got some perspective on just how much money these guys make these days and it kind of blows me away. i mean i've always known how much the purses were/are but look at it this way with me for a second and tell me this doesn't blow your mind...

today is the start of the southern swing....VERY EARLY IN THE YEAR....

11TH PLACE ON THE MONEY LIST...NOT FIRST, NOT SECOND....IS

$734,255

Of course that seems like a lot but consider how much baseball and basketball players make. Even average ones!!

They have to EARN their money on the PGA Tour for tournament play; nobody hands them guaranteed money, except for endorsement money of course. That's what makes it great.

Oh, and another big difference from other pro sports - they pay their own expenses. Try asking Kobe or A-Rod to do that!!

I have no problem with how much a PGA Tour player earns. Of course the purses will have to level off and so will their TV deal at some point but as long as the same principals remain with cuts and no guaranteed money you will always have the foundation for a sport where all athletes earn their keep.

I would love to see other sports pay by performance - maybe some of them wouldn't be in trouble or locked out right now!

How do you think Arnie and Jack feel? Jack recently won $340,000.00 in the Champion's Skin Game and commented that this amount was the largest check he had ever received for playing golf. A tie for third at the Nissan Open was worth $278,000.00 and that's not even one of the largest purses on tour.

Those numbers are even more staggering if you divide a player's winnings by his number of shots taken!

my thread isn't a rant about how much they make. its just a realization about how much is out there.

of course other sports make more money but then again other sports have higher revenues.

I don't begrudge any athlete any money he/she can get from the team owners or from the tour. The same way I don't begrudge any money your employer may pay you.

I know the more athletes get paid the more it costs me to attend and/or support the team. When that price becomes too steep I have a decision to make. A decision I've already made in several of the professional sports. I'll watch on TV (which I still have to pay for) but attending in person gets less frequent every year. Can I afford to attend? Fortunately, yes, but I refuse to pay top dollar for mediocre performance.

A ticket to the Buick Open is still only $25.00 and for a day of watching players play and practice I think it's still the
best value in sports.

To give you more perspective from the LPGA. At the END of the 2004 season, 11th place was $654,830. Annika with the top spot had $2,329,707 for all of 2004. Phil in just two months this year is the leading money winner with $2,129,056 and there is still nine more months.

I'm with dixongolfer, these guys earn their money. You ever play a 2 dollar Nassau with your buddys and you're looking at a three footer for the whole shebang? Now, imagine that same three footer on the fastest greens in the world for 5, 6, 700K...That always helps me put it into perspective. Each, and every shot these guys make through out a four day tourney, could mean as much as being able to stay out on tour for one more week for some of these guys. I tip my hat to the professional competeing golfer. On a side note, it is insane how much pro athletes in general make...

So that explains why the LPGA is trying to sell "sex appeal" these days.

The past 10 years have been truly incredible. A handful of top 10s with a couple of top 5s thrown in gets you a couple million. I think it was Snead who said that he only made a couple 100k in his entire career. I don't feel too sorry for Jack & Arnie. In fact I think Arnie was still top 5 in athlete endorsement money up until a couple of years ago & Jack hasn't done too badly either. We won't have to be throwing any benefits for either one soon. I'm all for athletes getting whatever the market will bear... that's capitalism. These golfers truly EARN their money, but they do have a 35-40 year earning career now with the Champions Tour.

They've been TRYING that for over 30 years. It's just that now they have a , shall we say, much more appealing product. There are quite a few very attractive, competitive LPGA golfers these days... and I'm not complaining.

waz, I merely look at the champions tour as a 401k program...You are correct though, that these athletes are worth we the people will pay to go see them. I also agree that the golfers definitely ear their paychecks, as opposed to a injury pleagued baseball player who gets that 250k check even when he sits out with his bruised thumb...

most golfers are spoiled brats though...

last night phil commented on ways to get better fields in tourneys and he said "the sponsors should do things like ford has done this week like personally fly them to the racce track to watch dog racing, and treat them to awesome meals at ultra-exclusive eateries, etc."

that rubbed me the wrong way.

I realize what your perspective was johnny. Yes, there is a lot of money on the table these days. That's progress.

As for spoiled, don't paint everyone with the same brush. Lots of guys out there know how lucky they are. I agree some grew up with a Silver Spoon in their mouths but it takes a lot of work and talent to get where they are. Lots of years grinding and a lot of lonely hotel rooms before they reach the PGA Tour for many of them.

Not everyone has their path to the PGA Tour paved in gold. At least they have to earn it to get there and stay there.

They have no guarantees of a long and profitable career unless they earn their spot year after year.

Look at a guy like Chip Beck, on top of the world, PGA Tour winner, Ryder Cupper. Then you play like **** and it all disappears...

As for Phil he was simply commenting on what Doral does to help attract players to the field. Since they are independent contractors it is up to the events to try and entice them. So what if the players enjoy it? It's not their fault it is being offered.

And Phil is just taking the opportunity to pimp one of his sponsors (Ford) anyhow. That's what he gets paid to do.

Yeah and look at it this way...Goosen is leading the Order of Merit with

€ 428,297.00

although the Euro is about 1.7 to the dollar I think which means Goosen has about 700,000 dollars but thats still less than 11th on the PGA tour

makes you think.

Goosen's only played 1 event though on that tour this season though versus 15th on the PGA tour with $734000 has played 6