Golf — the most lucrative individual sport
Golf has historically produced the wealthiest individual athletes outside of team sports. Tiger Woods' estimated net worth of $1.1 billion reflects 27 years of Nike partnership income, course design fees, his own golf club (Jupiter Links), and the continuing commercial value of his name even through injury and personal setbacks. Jack Nicklaus, despite earning a fraction of modern prize money during his playing career, built a $400 million fortune through course design — he has designed or co-designed over 300 courses worldwide.
The launch of LIV Golf in 2022, funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, created a new salary tier in golf similar to what the Saudi Pro League did for football. Players who joined LIV received appearance fees and salary guarantees that dwarfed traditional PGA Tour prize money, though at the cost of exclusion from Majors for a period.
Formula 1 — growing wealth in a growing sport
Formula 1's recent expansion into the American market — driven by the Drive to Survive Netflix series — has dramatically increased driver commercial value. Max Verstappen earns an estimated $65 million per year from Red Bull Racing, a figure that would have been unthinkable for a non-British, non-German driver a decade ago. Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari in 2025 is believed to be worth approximately $80 million per year including salary and endorsements.
The sport's unique characteristic is that driver wealth is heavily dependent on team performance. A driver in a dominant car (Verstappen at Red Bull) wins championships and maximises commercial value. A driver in a midfield car — regardless of individual talent — earns a fraction of that and has limited commercial leverage.