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Scottie Scheffler moves past a Tiger Woods money standard that stood for nearly 26 years

Sport

Scottie Scheffler moves past a Tiger Woods money standard that stood for nearly 26 years
Sport

Sport

Scottie Scheffler moves past a Tiger Woods money standard that stood for nearly 26 years

2026-08-31 06:44 Last Updated At:06:50

ATLANTA (AP) — Tiger Woods was going for his seventh straight PGA Tour victory when he tied for second at Torrey Pines. He earned $264,000 that day to move to No. 1 in career tour earnings.

That was Feb. 13, 2000, and Woods stayed there ever since — until Sunday.

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Scottie Scheffler hits from 18th tee during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler hits from 18th tee during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler walks off the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler walks off the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy after winning on the18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy after winning on the18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds his child Bennett after winning the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds his child Bennett after winning the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler won the Tour Championship to capture his second FedEx Cup title and the $10 million prize — now considered official money — to raise his career total to $130,390,661.

Woods had been at $120,999,166 since he made his last cut on the PGA Tour at the 2024 Masters.

This is an entirely different era of golf, and Scheffler finally topping Woods in career earnings was inevitable. That it happened so quickly is a testament to Scheffler's dominance. He has been No. 1 in the world since May 2023.

The popularity and momentum Woods brought to the sport 30 years ago generated enormous spikes in prize money. And then with the arrival of Saudi-funded LIV Golf in 2022, the PGA Tour responded with even greater increases to keep more players from defecting.

There were 15 prize funds of $20 million or more this season on the PGA Tour schedule. Woods never played for a $10 million purse during his peak years from 1997 through 2009.

Woods won the FedEx Cup twice when it was worth $10 million, all in bonus money. Scheffler earned $23 million in bonus money last week by leading the FedEx Cup in points. The FedEx Cup finale has counted as official the last two years.

Most telling about the rapid increase in money was the 2024 Masters. Woods, at age 48 and trying to recover from multiple back surgeries and a 2023 car crash that shattered his right leg and ankle, finished in last place and made $44,000.

Scheffler won the Masters that year and moved to No. 12 on the career earnings list at $57,658,464. He has earned just over $72.7 million in his last 50 tournaments over two years and four months.

It was a matter of time, and it really doesn't matter to Scheffler.

“The reason our purses are so large today is because of the influence and impact that Tiger had on the game,” Scheffler said before the Tour Championship started. “I wouldn’t really consider that a Tiger record being broken. I think it just shows one of the many effects he had on the game of golf in a positive way.”

Scheffler indicated last week in St. Louis the Tiger number he cares about his victories. Scheffler won for the 22nd time Sunday at East Lake. Woods shares the PGA Tour record at 82 victories.

See AP’s full golf coverage here

Scottie Scheffler hits from 18th tee during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler hits from 18th tee during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler walks off the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler walks off the 18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy after winning on the18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy after winning on the18th green during the final round of the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds his child Bennett after winning the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Scottie Scheffler holds his child Bennett after winning the PGA Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been placed on the NFL commissioner's exempt list while two misdemeanor charges against him are pending, a move that prevents him from practicing or attending games.

Players continue to get paid while on the commissioner's exempt list. Upon request and with the club’s permission, Jacobs may be present at the club’s facility on a reasonable basis for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation and other permitted non-football activities.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed Sunday that Jacobs had been placed on the list, a move that comes three days after the charges were filed against him. ESPN first reported the development.

Jacobs' absence will impact the Packers at a position in which they already lacked depth. The Packers tried to address their running back shortage Sunday by acquiring 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round selection.

The Packers open their season Sept. 13 at Minnesota.

Brown County (Wisconsin) District Attorney David Lasee announced Thursday that Jacobs had been charged with battery and criminal damage to property. The charges arose from what police described as a physical confrontation between Jacobs and his girlfriend.

Jacobs was arrested on May 26, three days after police were called to his home to investigate a disturbance. He was released from jail the next day.

Jacobs’ lawyers — David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III — issued a statement in response to the NFL's decision. They noted this move is “an administrative procedure used by the NFL while a matter is being reviewed."

“It is not a final determination,” they said. “Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his Coaches and Teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”

Hobart-Lawrence police officers who responded to the May call said Jacobs’ girlfriend told them she had a lump on her head as a result of Jacobs’ actions.

Police said the woman said she had been looking through Jacobs’ phone and saw he was talking to other women, and that she threw the phone in anger without breaking it. She told police that Jacobs had her phone and she told him he could look through it.

According to police, the woman indicated she tried to retrieve her phone from Jacobs, but he didn’t return it and instead grabbed her arm and began a struggle that lasted several minutes. They then left the home in separate vehicles before eventually returning.

Police said the woman was trying to exit a garage door to get outside when Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head. Police said Jacobs also took the phone from her while she was on the ground.

According to the criminal complaint filed last week, surveillance footage from the camera system in the garage corroborated the woman’s statement.

Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. That followed a 2024 season in which Jacobs ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning his third Pro Bowl selection.

The 28-year-old has rushed for 7,803 yards and 74 touchdowns in his seven-year career, which included five seasons with the Raiders. He earned All-Pro honors and had an NFL-leading 1,653 yards rushing with Las Vegas in 2022.

Jacobs was back on the field with the Packers for organized team activities less than a week after the arrest and has been with the team for training camp, though he’s been limited by a groin injury.

With Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list, the only running backs on Green Bay's 53-man roster are MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks and the newly acquired Johnson. The Packers cut Pierre Strong Jr., Damien Martinez and Jaden Nixon on Sunday.

Lloyd is a 2024 third-round pick who has played only one game over the last two seasons due to a variety of injuries, though he has stayed healthy throughout this preseason. Brooks ran for 106 yards on 27 carries last season while contributing primarily on special teams.

Johnson rushed for 69 yards on 28 carries while playing 10 games his rookie season with the Steelers.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Green Bay Packers' Josh Jacobs talks to Marshawn Lloyd before a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers' Josh Jacobs talks to Marshawn Lloyd before a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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