Who became the first golfer to earn over $10 million in a PGA Tour season?

Vijay Singh became the first golfer to earn more than $10 million in a PGA Tour season, doing so in 2004. He finished that season with official PGA Tour earnings of $10,905,166, topping the money list.

Singh’s breakthrough came during one of the strongest seasons of his career. The Fijian won nine PGA Tour events, including the PGA Championship, and was named both PGA Tour Player of the Year and PGA of America Player of the Year. He also overtook Tiger Woods as world No. 1.

The milestone refers to official season prize money, not career earnings or endorsements. That distinction matters because golf purses have expanded dramatically since 2004. Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson were among the era’s major rivals, but Singh was the first to cross the $10 million seasonal mark.