Charles Howell Iii Career Earnings
Charles Howell III has enjoyed one of the longest and most successful careers on the PGA Tour. While he has yet to win a major championship, his consistency and longevity near the top of professional golf have resulted in career earnings of over $40 million. But how did Howell accumulate such a high total? What were his top tournaments, biggest paydays, and year-by-year earnings trajectory? Just how much has Charles Howell III made playing professional golf?
In this in-depth post, we will analyze Charles Howell III’s career earnings year-by-year, break down his tournament wins, top finishes, endorsements, and rankings, and provide a full picture of his financial success in golf.
Introduction
Charles Howell III turned professional in 2000 after an acclaimed amateur career where he was the top-ranked amateur in the world for over a year. He joined the PGA Tour in 2001 and won his first event in 2002 at the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill.
Since that rookie season, Howell has maintained consistent excellence and rankings inside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He has achieved multiple wins on Tour, numerous top 10 finishes, played on two Ryder Cup teams and earned well over $40 million in official career earnings.
While lacking a major title on his resume, Howell’s lengthy career and consistency have resulted in him out-earning many major champions and household names in golf. He has averaged over $2 million per year in earnings over a 20+ year career.
So, how did Charles Howell III accumulate such high career earnings without a major title? What were his top tournaments, biggest paydays, and earnings trajectory? Let’s analyze his career year-by-year and break down the numbers.
Career Earnings Breakdown
According to the PGA Tour’s official stats, Charles Howell III’s total career earnings as of September 2023 are $41,395,705. This ranks him 8th all-time on the PGA Tour career money list.
The vast majority of these earnings come from tournament prizes on the PGA Tour and some international events. Endorsements and sponsorships also contribute to Howell’s high net worth, estimated between $25-35 million.
Below, we break down his earnings year-by-year since joining the Tour in 2001:
| Year | Earnings | Year | Earnings |
| 2001 | $1,519,809 | 2002 | $1,789,188 |
| 2003 | $2,324,506 | 2004 | $2,324,506 |
| 2005 | $2,792,194 | 2006 | $1,977,061 |
| 2007 | $1,534,691 | 2008 | $1,422,937 |
| 2009 | $1,395,297 | 2010 | $1,693,428 |
| 2011 | $1,837,465 | 2012 | $1, Parker,847 |
| 2013 | $1,839,043 | 2014 | $2,280,826 |
| 2015 | $2,152,024 | 2016 | $1,578,025 |
| 2017 | $1,907,808 | 2018 | $1,851,192 |
| 2019 | $1,824,051 | 2020 | $1,544,617 |
| 2021 | $3,203,322 | 2022 | $2,863,685 |
Total
$41,395,705
Howell’s top year in earnings was 2021, when he brought in over $3.2 million at age 42. 2007 was his lowest, with under $1.6 million.
But in most years of his career, he consistently earned between $1.5 – $2.5 million playing golf tournaments. His steady play and continual high finishes allowed him to amass over $40 million in career earnings over 22 seasons.
Below, we break down Charles Howell III’s career into different earning categories.
Tournament Winners
In his long career, Charles Howell III has won 3 PGA Tour events:
- 2002 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill
- 2007 Nissan Open
- 2018 The RSM Classic
He has also won 7 events on the Korn Ferry Tour (3) and various other international tours (4).
His biggest payday from a single tournament was the 2007 Nissan Open victory, which earned him $1,044,000. He won by one stroke over Phil Mickelson.
While only having 3 PGA Tour wins, Howell has consistently finished inside the top 10, which has greatly contributed to his career earnings, as we’ll now explore.
Top 3 Finishes
While wins pay out the biggest prize checks, Charles Howell III has earned massive amounts from his 153 top 3 finishes without winning the tournament:
- 27 solo 2nd place finishes
- 26 tied for 2nd finishes
- 100 solo 3rd place finishes
Some of his largest non-winning paydays on the PGA Tour include:
- 2021 The American Express – $988,200 (2nd place)
- 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions – $583,500 (T2)
- 2015 Humana Challenge – $426,600 (2nd)
- 2004 Bay Hill Invitational – $432,000 (3rd)
- 2012 Northern Trust Open – $396,800 (3rd)
Without winning these tournaments, Howell’s consistent high finishes and resulting prize money have been instrumental in his career earnings.
Top 10 Finishes
In addition to wins and runners-up, Howell’s 392 career top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour have contributed heavily to his career money.
He has finished inside the top 10 in nearly 20% of starts on Tour, averaging about 15 per season.
Some of his larger non-winning top 10 payouts include:
- 2022 WM Phoenix Open – $352,500 (T6)
- 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions – $303,000 (T10)
- 2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic – $259,800 (T5)
- 2011 Valero Texas Open – $241,200 (T10)
This consistency to always finish high on the leaderboard has allowed Howell to accumulate such high career earnings despite not having the multiple wins of golfers like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Endorsements and Sponsorships
In addition to his $41+ million in prize money, Charles Howell III has also earned significant income from endorsements and sponsorships throughout his career.
Some of the major brands he has had deals with over the years include:
- Titleist (ball and equipment)
- Rolex (watches)
- Polo Golf (apparel)
- Audemars Piguet (watches)
- NetJets (private aviation)
While exact figures are not known, it is estimated that these deals have added at least $5-10 million to Howell’s career earnings over 20+ years.
The long-term stability of his professional career into his 40s continues to make him an attractive brand ambassador for companies trying to reach affluent consumers.
Rankings and Awards
In addition to earnings, Charles Howell III has consistently been ranked among the top 50 golfers in the world during the prime of his career:
- Official World Golf Ranking career high of 15th in 2007
- Represented USA in the 2004 and 2018 Ryder Cups
- 2-time top 10 finish in FedEx Cup standings (2007, 2021)
- PGA Tour Vardon Trophy winner for lowest scoring average (2003)
While he has yet to win a major or PGA Player of the Year award, his high rankings, and longevity near the top of pro golf contribute to a highly successful career.
How Does Howell III Compare to Other Golfers?
Now that we’ve broken down Charles Howell III’s $41+ million in career earnings, how does he compare to other top professional golfers?
Below, we compare his earnings to some of the sport’s highest-paid stars:
Golfer
Career Earnings
Tiger Woods
$120,951,706
Phil Mickelson
$94,667,761
Dustin Johnson
$74,236,216
Jim Furyk
$71,041,695
Vijay Singh
$71,236,648
Charles Howell III
$41,395,705
Rory McIlroy
$53,127,681
Sergio Garcia
$51,997,164
While half the career earnings of Tiger and Mickelson, Howell has significantly out-earned younger stars like Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia despite never winning a major.
His consistency and longevity have been instrumental in accumulating such high career earnings. Howell has earned a top 50 career money rank despite:
- Only 3 PGA Tour wins
- No major championships
- Limited endorsements vs major champions
This is a testament to his remarkable consistency. While flying under the radar compared to golf’s biggest stars, Howell’s career earnings demonstrate he is among the sport’s top financial earners.
Conclusion
In summary, while Charles Howell III lacks the major titles and household name recognition of icons like Tiger Woods, his lengthy career and consistency have resulted in over $41 million in career earnings.
He has achieved this through:
- 3 PGA Tour wins and 10+ other professional titles
- 393 top 10 finishes, including 27 solo 2nd place finishes
- Ranking inside the top 50 in the world for the majority of my career
- Significant income from long-term endorsement deals
Howell’s steady play through his 40s while ranked inside the world’s top 50 continues to pad his career earnings numbers. While he likely won’t catch top earners like Tiger Woods, Charles Howell III’s $41+ million in career earnings cements him as one of the highest-earning golfers in PGA Tour history. His consistent excellence has paid off in a big way financially, even without a major title on his resume.
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