PGA Tour Yearly Money Leaders

70+ years of money list leaders on the PGA Tour

Arnold Palmer portrait from 1975
Arnold Palmer led the PGA Tour in money four times, and the award is named after him. Brian Morgan/Getty Images

The golfer who finishes a PGA Tour season with the highest tournament earnings is called the tour's "money leader" or "leading money winner." And that golfer receives the Arnold Palmer Award. The award is a trophy the features a golden likeness of Arnold Palmer atop a wooden base. (The Arnold Palmer Award is also given to the Champions Tour's money leader.)

(Note: If you're looking for the current standings for this year, see the current season's money list on PGATour.com.)

Annual money leaders on the PGA Tour are recognized going back to 1934, when records first started being kept. Here is the list money list leaders annually in PGA Tour history (and below that are a couple money list records):

Annual Money List Leaders on the PGA Tour

2019 - Brooks Koepka, $9,684,006
2018 - Justin Thomas, $8,694,821
2017 - Justin Thomas, $9,921,560
2016 - Dustin Johnson, $9,365,185
2015 - Jordan Spieth, $12,030,465
2014 - Rory McIlroy, $8,280,096
2013 - Tiger Woods, $8,553,439
2012 - Rory McIlroy, $8,047,952
2011 - Luke Donald, $6,683,214
2010 - Matt Kuchar, $4,910,477
2009 - Tiger Woods, $10,508,163
2008 - Vijay Singh, $6,601,094
2007 - Tiger Woods, $10,867,052
2006 - Tiger Woods, $9,941,563
2005 - Tiger Woods, $10,628,024
2004 - Vijay Singh, $10,905,166
2003 - Vijay Singh, $7,573,907
2002 - Tiger Woods, $6,912,625
2001 - Tiger Woods, $5,687,777
2000 - Tiger Woods, $9,188,321
1999 - Tiger Woods, $6,616,585
1998 - David Duval, $2,591,031
1997 - Tiger Woods, $2,066,833
1996 - Tom Lehman, $1,780,159
1995 - Greg Norman, $1,654,959
1994 - Nick Price, $1,499,927
1993 - Nick Price, $1,478,557
1992 - Fred Couples, $1,344,188
1991 - Corey Pavin, $979,430
1990 - Greg Norman, $1,165,477
1989 - Tom Kite, $1,395,278
1988 - Curtis Strange, $1,147,644
1987 - Curtis Strange, $925,941
1986 - Greg Norman, $653,296
1985 - Curtis Strange, $542,321
1984 - Tom Watson, $476,260
1983 - Hal Sutton, $426,668
1982 - Craig Stadler, $446,462
1981 - Tom Kite, $375,698.84
1980 - Tom Watson, $530,808.33
1979 - Tom Watson, $462,636
1978 - Tom Watson, $362,428.93
1977 - Tom Watson, $310,653.16
1976 - Jack Nicklaus, $266,498.57
1975 - Jack Nicklaus, $298,149.17
1974 - Johnny Miller, $353,021.59
1973 - Jack Nicklaus, $308,362.10
1972 - Jack Nicklaus, $320,542.26
1971 - Jack Nicklaus, $244,490.50
1970 - Lee Trevino, $157,037.63
1969 - Frank Beard, $164,707.11
1968 - Billy Casper, $205,168.67
1967 - Jack Nicklaus, $188,998.08
1966 - Billy Casper, $121,944.92
1965 - Jack Nicklaus, $140,752.14
1964 - Jack Nicklaus, $113,284.50
1963 - Arnold Palmer, $128,230
1962 - Arnold Palmer, $81,448.33
1961 - Gary Player, $64,540.45
1960 - Arnold Palmer, $75,262.85
1959 - Art Wall, $58,167.60
1958 - Arnold Palmer, $42,607.50
1957 - Dick Mayer, $65,835
1956 - Ted Kroll, $72,835.83
1955 - Julius Boros, $63,121.55
1954 - Bob Toski, $65,819.81
1953 - Lew Worsham, $34,002
1952 - Julius Boros, $37,032.97
1951 - Lloyd Mangrum, $26,068.83
1950 - Sam Snead, $35,758.83
1949 - Sam Snead, $31,598.83
1948 - Ben Hogan, $32,112
1947 - Jimmy Demaret, $27,936.83
1946 - Ben Hogan, $42,556.16
1945 - Byron Nelson, $63,335.66 (war bonds)
1944 - Byron Nelson, $37,967.69 (war bonds)
1943 - No stats compiled
1942 - Ben Hogan, $13,143
1941 - Ben Hogan, $18,358
1940 - Ben Hogan, $10,655
1939 - Henry Picard, $10,303
1938 - Sam Snead, $19,534.49
1937 - Harry Cooper, $14,138.69
1936 - Horton Smith, $7,682
1935 - Johnny Revolta, $9,543
1934 - Paul Runyan, $6,767

PGA Tour Money List Records

We promised a couple records relating to the PGA Tour money list. Which golfer has led the money list the most times? Who has led the money list the most consecutive seasons?

  • Most Times Leading the Money List: This record belongs to Tiger Woods. Woods was the tour's leading money-winner 10 times, in 1997, 1999-2002, 2005-07, 2009 and 2013. Jack Nicklaus topped the money list eight times, and Ben Hogan and Tom Watson did it five times each.
  • Most Consecutive Seasons Leading the Money List: This record is shared by Woods and Watson. Watson was the leading money winner each year from 1977 through 1980, four years in a row. And Woods led four consecutive years from 1999 through 2002.