Phil Mickelson has never been afraid to stir the pot—and this time, he might have stirred it a little too early. Back in March, the six-time major winner confidently placed LIV’s Joaquín Niemann ahead of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, declaring, “Joaquín Niemann has got to be a top 5 player in the world right now.” He even doubled down with a hotter take: “Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.”
Fast-forward a few months, and the numbers are stacking up against Mickelson’s take, at least when it comes to majors. While Niemann’s quest for a breakthrough continues, Scheffler has done what he does best: dominate. But still, not everything Mickelson said was without merit.
Joaquin Niemann’s quest for redemption at The Open Championship 2025 fell short, with rounds of 70 and 74 leaving him missing the cut for the second time this season. His major record remains thin, with just one top-10 finish in 25 appearances. In contrast, Scottie Scheffler has excelled, notching 15 top-10 finishes in his last 24 major appearances, including three major wins. He also has two PGA Tour wins in his hands: the 2025 CJ CUP Byron Nelson and the 2025 Memorial Tournament, despite Mickelson’s claims. Yet, amid such comparisons, Niemann remains hopeful.
Recently, Torque GC, Joaquin Niemann’s LIV Golf team, shared an Instagram post following Niemann’s (and Carlos Ortiz’s) missed cut at Royal Portrush and said, “They will never make it.” That can be one of the most vile lies spoken around the world, but also a spark for @joaco_niemann and @carlosortizgolf, who have undeniably given everything in their hearts and bodies battling the forces of nature at @theopen to prove that statement wrong.” Following his solid outing at the 2025 U.S. Open (T4), Carlos Ortiz shot a disappointing 75 and 70 at Royal Portrush to miss the cut.
The post continued, “It’s never smart to say “you can’t” to athletes like Joaquín Niemann or Carlos Ortiz, because that only motivates them to come back the next day and give twice the effort. It will light their inner fire,” and added, “No one can tell our heroes they won’t make it,” as they will “come back raging, stronger than ever and smash those walls that were built for them. We will always have your backs, Joaquín and Carlos. .”
And, indeed, that is the case. Especially when it comes to Niemann. The LIV golfer, for instance, has achieved 4 wins at the Saudi-backed league in his 10 appearances, with his last win coming at the 2025 LIV Golf Virginia. Carlos Ortiz, on the other hand, has four top 10 finishes in his 10 LIV Golf appearances this season. So, Phil Mickelson‘s putting Niemann ahead of Scottie Scheffler isn’t entirely off the mark, but it can definitely be the case, if it comes to terms of career earnings, where Niemann actually leads Scheffler.
Joaquin Niemann is ahead of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in… career earnings
Following his 2025 LIV Golf Virginia win, a hopeful Joaquin Niemann looked to translate his LIV Golf success in majors. At that time, he said, “I’ve got to figure out stuff in my game and … improve my driving. I feel like next week is going to be a good challenge. I feel like this is going to be a good preparation for what’s coming.” And, sure, he failed to achieve his own goal and will now have to wait for the 2026 season to prove his worth in the majors, but his Virginia win was still iconic. At least when it comes to landing him major payouts.
In 2025, Joaquin Niemann emerged as golf’s top earner, surpassing both Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in career earnings. Following his victory at the 2025 LIV Golf Virginia, Niemann’s total earnings for the year reached over $17.5 million, thanks to four tournament wins and consistent performances across various events. It’s nearly double the earnings of his closest competitor, Bryson DeChambeau ($9.2 M). His impressive earnings include significant payouts from tournaments in Adelaide, Singapore, and Mexico City (totaling $12 million), along with a solid showing at the 2025 PGA Championship. At his Virginia win, however, he scored a massive paycheck of $4 million.
In contrast, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have also had successful seasons, with earnings of approximately $16 million and $15.7 million, respectively. Scheffler’s earnings stem from victories at prestigious events like the 2025 PGA Championship ($3.4M), the 2025 CJ CUP Byron Nelson ($1.78M), and the 2025 Memorial Tournament ($4M), while McIlroy’s season has been highlighted by completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters ($4.2M), the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am ($3.6M), and The PLAYERS Championship 2025 ($4.5M). The point? Phil Mickelson’s claims aren’t too far off.
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