Already 43rd on the Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid athletes and fifth among golfers, Cam Smith is at the forefront of a sport in flux. Ahead of Thursday’s Australian Open, we sat down with the Brisbane-born star and captain of LIV Golf’s all-Australian team, Ripper GC, to reflect on a whirlwind two years – and what’s coming next.
Back in Australia for a four-week stretch, Cam Smith will eye off his first Stonehaven Cup win when the tournament kicks off in Melbourne on Thursday, which is hosting the event for just the second time since 2005.
It would cap off what has been a whirlwind 12 months for the 2022 British Open champ, who, along with his teammates at Ripper GC, claimed their first LIV Golf Team Championship title in Dallas in October – a career highlight for the 31-year-old which also netted a US$14 million payday for the team.
Sporting his trademark mullet, that has become so iconic that it inspired a “Cameron Smith lookalike competition” in Melbourne this week, Smith was as cool as ever as he relived the moment of glory.
“There’s nothing quite like having the whole team hanging off you, wanting you to do well. The pressure that comes with that is immense, but it’s also what makes it so rewarding,” he tells Forbes Australia.
It marks two years since LIV Golf, the controversial breakaway league backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, burst onto the scene with a vision to reshape the sport. For Smith, who was the No.2 ranked player in the world at the time, the decision to leave the PGA Tour and join the new league wasn’t an easy one. “I spoke to all the right people, weighed every option. Once I made the call, I never looked back.”
A lot has changed since then, but the early days were far from smooth.
LIV’s controversial funding led to accusations of “sportswashing” and fractured the golfing world. Players who defected were suspended from the PGA Tour, and lawsuits became headline news.
“We knew there would be blowback,” says Nick Adams, who joined Ripper GC as general manager after a career spent shaping global sports and entertainment properties. “But the vision was clear: to create something better for the players and more engaging for the fans.”
“Every major shift in sports has faced resistance. World Series Cricket, the Super League—it’s no different here. The question is: are we building something that lasts? And I think we are.”
The big leap – and the bigger payday
Smith’s deal with LIV reportedly included a nine-figure signing bonus, part of the league’s strategy to attract the world’s best players. While not as eye-watering as Spanish golfer Jon Rahm’s US$300 million contract, Smith’s move put him alongside the likes of US stars Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, whose US$100-million-plus deals rank among the highest ever in professional sports.
Forbes estimated that half of Smith’s signing bonus was paid upfront, with the remainder tied to the duration of his contract. As of mid-2024, Smith’s US$48 million total—including tournament earnings and endorsements—made him the highest-paid Australian athlete, surpassing the likes of declining NBA star Ben Simmons and NFL standout Jordan Mailata.
So, exactly how much more lucrative has LIV been compared to the PGA? Well, in three seasons, Smith has won north of US$40 million in prize money with LIV, according to Spotrac, roughly US$5 million more than a decade spent competing on the PGA Tour.
But Smith, humble as ever, plays his cards close to his chest when asked about his ascent on the Forbes list of the world’s highest paid athletes.
“I wouldn’t say that I come from a poor family, but coming from a middle-class family where I don’t necessarily think it was week-to-week, or maybe it was, I’ve never really asked the question with Mum and Dad, but yeah, coming from that environment to now, the freedoms that [money] can provide is pretty cool,” he says.
“After I won my first PGA Tour event… I went out and bought a car. It wasn’t anything crazy, about $150,000 at the time, and I still have it to this day. I didn’t change it or anything—it’s still in the garage.”
While that car now has a few friends to keep it company in Smith’s garage, Adams reiterates that money wasn’t the only motivating factor for his team captain changing leagues.
“It was about the opportunity to do something different,” Adams explains. “Cam’s always been someone who thinks about the bigger picture—not just his career, but what he can build for the sport.”
‘Redefining what a golf team can be’
Now, two years in, Ripper GC is focused on the future. Plans for a high-performance centre in Brisbane are underway, aimed at identifying and developing Australian talent. The goal, Smith explains, is to create a clear pathway for young players to join the professional ranks—and maybe even Ripper GC itself.
“This isn’t just about me or the guys on the team right now. It’s about what comes next. How do we make golf more accessible? How do we bring more people into the game,” says Smith.
Adams says the centre will offer aspiring golfers access to state-of-the-art facilities, mentorship from Ripper GC players, and a clear pathway to professional golf—a rarity in a sport where young talent often navigates fragmented systems.
Ripper GC is doubling down on growing its brand.
With LIV’s unique team format, the group has embraced a new era of fan engagement, from launching digital content series to exploring global partnerships. Adams describes it as an opportunity to “redefine what a golf team can be.”
The world’s 10 highest paid golfers for 2024
No. 1 • $218 million
Jon Rahm
On-Course: $198 million | Off-Course: $20 million | Age: 29 | Tour: LIV |
Much like many of his LIV compatriots, Rahm’s move to the upstart league cost him a slew of sponsors. In July, he signed a multi-year extension with digital supply chain firm Blue Yonder, having previously worn their logo on his chest. However, the partnership is no longer active and he now wears the logo of his LIV team, Legion XIII, in that spot. Rahm will not compete in the U.S. Open this weekend due to a foot injury.
No. 2 • $83 million
Rory McIlroy
On-Course: $38 million | Off-Course: $45 million | Age: 35 | Tour: PGA
One of the PGA Tour’s most outspoken supporters since the arrival of LIV Golf, McIlroy recently lamented how the division have played out. “In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t have gotten as deeply involved in it,” he told reporters last month. The ongoing tour drama hasn’t stopped his momentum off the course, though. McIlroy cofounded TMRW Sports with Tiger Woods and sports executive Mike McCarley, which plans to launch a stadium-based, virtual golf league in 2025, while his Symphony Ventures has invested in companies like Puttery, Hyperice and Whoop.
No. 3 • $67 million
Tiger Woods
On-Course: $12 million | Off-Course: $55 million | Age: 48 | Tour: PGA | Rolex Testimonee
Woods may no longer be the Major-winning machine he once was, but he still found a way to break another record this year. In April, he made the cut at the Masters for the 24th consecutive time, passing Gary Player and Fred Couples. Unfortunately, his pursuit of a sixth green jacket came up far short. Woods finished 60th at Augusta.
No. 4 • $61 million
Scottie Scheffler
On-Course: $41 million | Off-Course: $20 million | Age: 27 | Tour: PGA
Scheffler currently has a vice grip on the World Golf Ranking’s No. 1 spot. His only blemish in 2024 was a traffic-related incident while on the way to the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club that resulted in the alleged assault of a Louisville police officer and Scheffler’s subsequent arrest. The charges were dropped two weeks later, though he told reporters he’s still struggling with the incident. “It’s not something that I love reliving, just because it was fairly traumatic for me being arrested going into the golf course.”
No. 5 • $47 million
Cameron Smith
On-Course: $43 million | Off-Course: $4 million | Age: 31 | Tour: LIV
Smith may have received a reported $100 million guarantee to join LIV Golf, but his time with the upstart tour has been far more lucrative on the course than a decade spent competing in PGA Tour events and Majors.
No. 6 • $44 million
Bryson DeChambeau
On-Course: $43 million | Off-Course: $1 million | Age: 30 | Tour: LIV
DeChambeau may not have the endorsement portfolio he once had, a list that once included Cobra Puma Golf, Bridgestone and Rocket Mortgage, among others. But his lighter sponsorship load has opened other opportunities, such as growing his YouTube presence. DeChambeau’s channel now has more than 670,000 subscribers and over 76 million views, with a nine-hole match between DeChambeau and Mickelson scoring 2.6 million views alone.
No. 7 • $43 million
Brooks Koepka
On-Course: $35 million | Off-Course: $8 million | Age: 34 | Tour: LIV
Koepka celebrated his 34th birthday last month by winning the fourth LIV Golf event of his career at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, which made him the career leader in titles on the nascent tour. He also remains the only golfer to win a Major under the LIV banner, with a victory at the 2023 PGA Championship. Off the course, Koepka has partnerships with Nike, Srixon and NetJets.
No. 8 • $40 million
Viktor Hovland
On-Course: $33 million | Off-Course: $7 million | Age: 26 | Tour: PGA
Hovland is still chasing his first Major title and he’s come achingly close, finishing second to Koepka at the PGA Championship last year. In the meantime, he has plenty to celebrate. Hovland secured the FedEx Cup crown in 2023, which came with an $18 million bonus.
No. 9 • $38 million
Phil Mickelson
On-Course: $36 million | Off-Course: $2 million | Age: 53 | Tour: LIV
Mickelson has earned more than $1 billion in his golf career, becoming the second player, after Woods, to surpass that mark. However, his ability to spend has become equally infamous. The 53-year-old allegedly bet more than $1 billion over the past three decades, with losses reaching as much as $100 million, according to a book written by renowned professional gambler Billy Walters. Off the course, Mickelson has become significantly less active since joining LIV, but he did cofound coffee company For Wellness in 2020.
No. 10 • $37 million
Dustin Johnson
On-Course: $32 million | Off-Course: $5 million | Age: 39 | Tour: LIV
Johnson gave a simple explanation for why he joined LIV Golf. “Play less golf, play for more money—it just made sense,” he told Forbes in 2022. The two-time Major winner hasn’t quite earned the roughly $75 million he did in his PGA Tour career yet, but with $56 million in LIV prize money, according to Spotrac, and a reported guarantee of $125 million, he’s not exactly hurting for cash. The 39-year-old also recently joined a slew of legendary athletes, including Derek Jeter, Serena Williams and Michael Strahan, as an investor in Cincoro Tequila.
This list was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
