Forbes highest-paid athletes of 2018 list includes five golfers
Tiger Woods tops this list, as though that would have been a shocker to anybody. Even after the better part of three years away from competition due to injuries, Woods is still one of the most marketable athletes on the planet, not just in golf.
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It’s been more than 20 years since the “I am Tiger Woods” ad first debuted, and to this day, there are still kids picking up their first golf club thinking that way. Sure, a lot of them want to grow up to be Jordan Spieth or Rickie Fowler, but Tiger’s impact is still felt worldwide, and that value is directly translated here.
Even more impressive is just how much of Tiger’s endorsement value is still present, despite a slimmed-down roster of companies that he represents. After his 2009 personal scandal, he lost deals with AT&T, Gatorade, Accenture and Tag Heuer. Rolex is no longer listed on his official website as a sponsor, either, although that may just be a formality.
That said, the companies that have stuck with Tiger have done so in a big way. Nike has stuck by Woods through thick and thin, and that deal alone is likely worth somewhere north of $20 million. Add in new equipment deals with TaylorMade and Bridgestone, along with companies like Hero and Monster Energy, and you’ve got more than enough to top this list.
There may come a day when Tiger Woods no longer tops this list for golfers, but it won’t be for some time. He’s proven resilient enough, in his game and his image management, that he’ll be a valuable figure in all of sport for the foreseeable future. And he’ll likely be golf’s first billionaire soon, if he isn’t already.