Scottie Scheffler told he has LIV to thank for huge earnings
Bubba Watson believes that LIV Golf has played an unexpected role in Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable earnings in 2024. As LIV Golf celebrates its 100th round of competition this week at the Greenbrier, two years after its dramatic debut at Centurion Club in June 2022, Watson, a two-time Masters champion and captain of LIV’s Range Goats GC team, reflects on the impact of the breakaway league.
Watson, who has been with LIV Golf almost since its inception, expressed satisfaction with the league’s progress and its influence on the sport. “When I think about the decision to join LIV, I considered our 10-year plan and what we aimed to achieve. The results have exceeded my expectations,” Watson said. “We’ve transformed the landscape of golf. Being part of that transformation is something special.”
The 45-year-old golfer is confident that his decision to leave the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV circuit was the right choice, drawing parallels between LIV Golf’s impact and the PGA Tour’s own historic split from the PGA of America in the late 1960s. “Reflecting on the PGA Tour’s evolution, particularly the breakaway led by legends like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, we see similarities in what we’re doing now. Being part of this historical shift is an honor,” Watson added. “Scottie Scheffler’s impressive earnings this year are a testament to the changes we’ve initiated.”
Indeed, Scheffler, currently ranked as the world’s number one golfer, has earned a staggering $28 million in prize money during the 2024 season. This remarkable sum includes victories at his second Masters title and six other tournaments, where he has dominated the PGA Tour’s premier events. The introduction of lucrative signature events with enhanced purses by the PGA Tour in 2023 was a strategic response to LIV Golf’s threat, aimed at retaining top players like Scheffler.
As the FedEx Cup Playoffs approach, Scheffler stands to gain an additional $25 million if he wins the Tour Championship at East Lake, on top of the $8 million he has already secured for leading the Comcast Business Top Ten, a bonus pool awarded at the end of the PGA Tour’s regular season. However, despite his significant earnings, Scheffler has expressed doubts about the fairness of the FedEx Cup system, which features staggered scoring in the final event to allow all 30 players a chance to win the title.
Scheffler voiced his concerns about this format in advance of the FedEx Cup St Jude Championship in Memphis, questioning its validity as a true season-long competition. “I find it silly to call it a season-long race when the outcome depends on just one tournament,” Scheffler said. “What if I get to East Lake, and my neck flares up, affecting my performance? If I finish 30th because of a withdrawal, does that really reflect a season-long race? It’s just the way it is, but I don’t think it’s the fairest system.”
As the 2024 season progresses, the evolving dynamics between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour continue to shape the landscape of professional golf, influencing not only the structure of tournaments but also the fortunes of the sport’s top players.
