By Ryan Herrington
In his three starts on the LIV Golf Invitational Series, Phil Mickelson has struggled to conjure up the game that earned him his spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

He’s a collective 26-over par following his final round at Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey on Sunday.

Yet the 52-year-old is still a big winner according to a report from Forbes.

The magazine has published its latest list of the highest-paid golfers in the world. Perhaps not surprisingly seven of the top 10 were players who moved to the money-spinning LIV Golf series, with signing-on fees and record-breaking prize money.

Forbes estimated that in total LIV Golf has increased the earnings of the 10 highest-paid golfers by an estimated $370 million since May, bringing their combined haul to a record $650 million.

Mickelson reportedly signed a LIV Golf contract estimated at more than $200 million. Forbes calculates that half of that Mickelson “likely got upfront”, thus it has put his 2022 on-course earnings at $102 million.

Add $36 million in off-course revenue and Lefty’s total comes to $138 million, which Forbes says puts him past footballer Lionel Messi as the world’s highest paid athlete in 2022.

2022 highest-paid golfers

(Figures do not include third LIV Golf event at Bedminster, New Jersey)
1: Phil Mickelson, $138 million ($102 million on course/$36 million off course)
2: Dustin Johnson, $97 million ($68 million/$29 million)
3: Bryson DeChambeau, $86 million ($66 million/$20 million)
4: Brooks Koepka, $69 million ($53 million/$16 million)
5: Tiger Woods, $68 million ($43,500/$68 million)
6: Rory McIlroy, $43 million ($9 million/$34 million)
7: Sergio Garcia, $42 million ($35 million/$7 million)
8: Jordan Spieth, $39 million ($8 million/$31 million)
9: Patrick Reed, $37 million ($34 million/$3 million)
10: Charl Schwartzel, $34 million ($30 million/$4 million)

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