Justin Thomas reaches PGA Tour top 10 in career money: Where does he rank among Alabama athletes?
Former Alabama All-American Justin Thomas earned $959,200 for his runner-up finish in The American Express on Sunday to become the 11th PGA Tour golfer to reach $60 million in career earnings.
With $60,837,898 to his credit, Thomas supplanted Matt Kuchar in the No. 10 spot. Tiger Woods is the record-holder with $120,999,166 won in PGA Tour events. Between Woods and Thomas are Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day.
But how does being No. 10 in PGA Tour career money measure up against the paydays of the professional athletes with Alabama roots in the NFL, NBA and MLB?
Turns out No. 10 on the PGA Tour would be No. 47 on money list for Alabama athletes (including only the salaries paid to the athletes by their teams and not including money from endorsements or other sources).
Here are the players from Alabama high schools and colleges who have been paid at least $60 million during their careers in the NFL, NBA or MLB (with all figures from the sports-financial website spotrac.com):
1. Philip Rivers (Athens), NFL quarterback: $243,944,322
2. Josh Donaldson (Faith Academy, Auburn), MLB third baseman: $159,159,218
3. Julio Jones (Foley, Alabama), NFL wide receiver: $149,167,021
4. Amari Cooper (Alabama), NFL wide receiver: $136,672,334
5. Cam Newton (Auburn), NFL quarterback: $133,545,071
6. Jake Peavy (St. Paul’s Episcopal), MLB pitcher: $131,605,000
7. Eric Bledsoe (Parker), NBA guard: $130,652,507
8. Craig Kimbrel (Lee-Huntsville, Wallace State), MLB pitcher: $127,875,188
9. Tim Hudson (Glenwood, Chattahoochee Valley, Auburn), MLB pitcher: $120,725,000
10. Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), NFL wide receiver: $119,939,171
11. Antonio McDyess (Alabama), NBA forward: $111,840,859
12. Frank Thomas (Auburn), MLB first baseman: $108,605,000
13. Gerald Wallace (Childersburg, Alabama), NBA forward: $102,825,643
14. C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama), NFL linebacker: $94,656,002
15. DeMarcus Cousins (LeFlore), NBA center: $94,281,285
16. David Robertson (Paul Bryant, Alabama), MLB pitcher: $93,879,326
17. DeMarcus Ware (Auburn High, Troy), NFL outside linebacker: $89,993,750
18. Ben Wallace (Central-Hayneville), NBA center: $87,800,795
19. Marcell Dareus (Huffman, Alabama), NFL defensive tackle: $87,134,946
20. Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama), NFL cornerback: $82,982,999
21. Rodney Hudson (B.C. Rain), NFL center: $82,403,707
22. DeMarre Carroll (John Carroll Catholic), NBA forward: $81,745,493
23. Kareem Jackson (Alabama), NFL cornerback: $79,784,695
24. Terrell Owens (Benjamin Russell), NFL wide receiver: $79,628,334
25. Za’Darius Smith (Greenville), NFL defensive end: $79,177,546
26. Jonathan Allen (Alabama), NFL defensive tackle: $76,515,829
27. Jameis Winston (Hueytown), NFL quarterback: $76,080,894
28. Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama), NFL cornerback: $74,967,549
29. Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama), NFL defensive tackle: $74,558,961
30. Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), NFL quarterback: $73,464,807
31. Collin Sexton (Alabama), NBA guard: $72,052,031
32. Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama), NFL defensive tackle: $69,967,360
33. Cam Robinson (Alabama), NFL offensive tackle: $69,159,314
34. Jalen Hurts (Alabama), NFL quarterback: $68,897,559
35. Robert Mathis (Alabama A&M), NFL defensive end: $68,170,867
36. Ryan Kelly (Alabama), NFL center: $67,998,507
37. Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), NFL cornerback: $67,572,006
38. Derrick Henry (Alabama), NFL running back: $67,407,928
39. Karlos Dansby (Woodlawn, Auburn), NFL linebacker: $66,947,000
40. Luis Gonzalez (South Alabama), MLB outfielder: $66,452,499
41. Mo Williams (Alabama), NBA guard: $66,241,694
42. Walter Jones (Aliceville), NFL offensive tackle: $65,446,112
43. Roddy White (UAB), NFL wide receiver: $65,037,529
44. Jimmie Ward (Davidson), NFL safety: $62,247,558
45. James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford), NFL cornerback: $62,112,060
46. Braden Smith (Auburn), NFL offensive tackle: $61,742,939
Thomas will tee off in a new golf venture on Tuesday when he leads the Atlanta Drive Golf Club against the New York Golf Club in a Tomorrow’s Golf League match at 6 p.m. CST at TGL’s high-tech venue in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. ESPN will televise the match.
Golfers hit shots off tee boxes with real grass, fairway, rough and sand into a 64-by-53-foot simulator screen until they’re within 50 yards of the cup on 15 named holes, including the Spear, Riptide and Serpent. After that, the virtual golf switches to shots played at the GreenZone, an adaptable green featuring 600 underground devices to change the slope of the putting surface from hole to hole.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.