FOR some observers of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, young Aussie Jediah Morgan is considered one of the players making up the numbers, but the Australian PGA champion is undeterred simply because he is laughing all the way to the bank.
In five LIV events the mullet-wearing 22-year-old diehard Broncos fan has won more than $1m and that is without finishing inside the top 25 in any of those events.
LIV Golf is making professional golfers, who don’t really put bums on seats, millionaires … and doing it in quick time.
The big guns like Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson et al are making the big bucks while the also-rans are doing rather well financially and keeping their bank managers happy.
For example, Morgan pocketed $229,000 for finishing 32nd in London, $178,000 (Portland 48th), $178,000 (Bedminster 48th), $238,000 (Boston 26th) and $203,657 (Chicago T37th).
That’s a staggering $1m for playing just five 54-hole events. In comparison, former US Open champion Webb Simpson played 20 tournaments on the US PGA Tour and banked just over $1m.
Each week, LIV Golf offers $US20 million for the 48-player prize pool. The winner earns $US4 million and the player at the tail of the field pockets a comforting sum of $US120,000.
And each week, $US5 million is on offer to the top three teams – $US3 million is divided among the top team ($US750,000 each), $US1.5 million is given to the runner-up side ($375,000 each) and $US500,000 is for the third-placed team ($US125,000 each).
Okay, Cam Smith banked more than $A14m by playing 18 tournaments on the PGA Tour. But after two LIV Golf events he has pocketed $A7,450,300. And let’s not forget the massive sign-on fees some players received.
Other examples of prize money between the two tours:
And let’s not forget the prize money collected for being part of a four-person team where the top three teams are rewarded. All of the above players have won team prize money with Johnson, Gooch and Reed banking $US3m each. Pat Perez is the other member of that team and also collected $3m. In four events he has won a total of $US3,701,667.
Even some of the lesser known players like Hennie Du Plessis are making hay while the sun shines. Hennie Who? The South African has played just three LIV Golf tournaments and raked in more than $A5 million. Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent has banked close to $A1.5m in five LIV tournaments. Aussie Blake Windred has played just two LIV Golf tournaments and for his work he has taken home $A397,500.
As LIV Golf boss Greg Norman said: “LIV Golf is the best thing that has ever happened to the careers of professional golfers.”
Chief writer David Newbery has been living, breathing and writing and editing golf for more than 30 years. His extensive knowledge of the game comes from covering golf around the world. Hired by Inside Golf in 2009, David previously worked as the editor of The Golfer for 25 years and before that worked for numerous daily newspapers in Australia and overseas. The Brisbane-based journalist describes his golf game as “a work in progress”, but has had the privilege of playing golf with some of the game’s best players including nine-time major winner Gary Player. David enjoys travelling, reading, music, photography and spending time with family and friends – on and off the golf course. 
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