Forbes highest-paid athletes of 2018 list includes five golfers

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Forbes highest paid athletes Jordan Spieth

FORT WORTH, TX – MAY 27: Jordan Spieth plays his shot from the ninth tee during the final round of the Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial Country Club on May 27, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Jordan Spieth isn’t just one of the youngest superstars on the PGA TOUR. His nearly immediate rise to the top of the golfing world has also come with commensurate financial rewards. Spieth is the face of the PGA TOUR’s future, as well as a ton of major brands that have latched on for the ride.

Since June of 2017, Spieth has racked up two wins – including the 2017 Open Championship – along with a slew of top-five and top-ten finishes. That made him the second-highest paid player on this list in terms of on-course winnings, with over $11 million. Rough life, right? Well, no surprise, but it gets even better off the course.

Spieth has massive endorsement contracts with Under Armour, AT&T, Coca-Cola and Titleist, just to name a few. The estimate of $30 million in endorsement money may very well be light, all things considered. Spieth wasn’t the first golfer to play in Under Armour gear, but he’s absolutely the reason they are able to even sniff the big dogs like Nike and Adidas in that competitive market.

It’s going to take a while, but there will almost certainly be a day when Spieth tops this list, and when he does, he won’t give it up for a long time.

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