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Dustin Johnson won the inaugural LIV Golf championship. The two-time majors winner won the individual title with one event to go. As part of the win, the American golfer bagged $18 million as the prize.
The 38-year-old golfer was at the top of his game in the inaugural LIV Golf season. Having finished in the top 10 in five of the six, Johnson claimed victory at the LIV’s Boston event in September. With the season set to conclude in Jeddah from October 14 to 16, Johnson has now ensured the championship title with an insurmountable 42-point lead.
Dustin Johnson's LIV Golf signing bonus
Dustin Johnson has been one of the biggest names on the LIV Golf roster. Having taken the No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings in 2021, the golfer had all eyes on him when he switched to the controversial series. Johnson signed for the Saudi-backed series in June. He received a whopping $125 million as a signing bonus to join the series. Having jumped ship from the PGA Tour for a hefty paycheck, Johnson became one of the series’ top names.
He has now proven his worth at the event. Johnson’s 121 points season-long title run has officially secured him the championship. With the win in Bangkok, Johnson’s move to LIV Golf seems to have paid off, at least financially.
Dustin Johnson seems more than happy to win the inaugural season of the rebel series. Speaking after the win, he said:
"Locking up the individual competition is big. It’s an honor to be LIV’s first individual season champion."
It is pertinent to note that Johnson has been a staunch backer of the series in its fight against the PGA Tour. Ever since his defection, Johnson has been backing his fellow golfers in their fight against the suspension placed on them by the American tour. He has also been on the offensive against the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for its stand on LIV golfers.
Dustin Johnson's total earnings from LIV
Coming into the Bangkok event, Dustin Johnson had already won more than $12.7 million. On top of the reported $125 million signing bonus, he has now bagged an additional $18 million prize, taking his total earnings from the controversial Saudi Arabian-backed league to nearly $31 million. While many continue to debate whether the move from PGA to LIV was right, it’s safe to say that it landed him big bucks.
Johnson has made the most of the series that has a $25 million prize purse for its events. In comparison, the American golfer had won nearly $75 million playing on the PGA Tour throughout his career. He was only behind ace golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson when it came to earnings. However, this seems low compared to the $31 million he earned in the very first season of LIV Golf.
Johnson’s bonus of $18 million for playing in six LIV events is the same amount Rory McIlroy earned for winning the PGA Tour’s season-long FedEx Cup title. Large paychecks were the major reason for many players' defections to the series. It is pertinent to note that Phil Mickelson signed with LIV Golf for a reported contract worth $200 million. Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith reportedly fetched around $100 million.
