Yearly Money Leaders on the Champions Tour

Which golfers have led the Champions Tour in earnings over the course of the tour's existence? Let's find out: Below is the list of the yearly money leaders in senior golf.

The Champions Tour is the pre-eminent tour in men's golf for golfers ages 50 and over. It was founded as the Senior Tour in 1980, largely on the popularity of Arnold Palmer, who was just hitting the right age. The senior circuit is now officially named "PGA Tour Champions," but most golf fans still call just call it the Champions Tour.

Champions Tour Money Leaders By Year

2024 — Steven Alker, $2,447,588
2023 — Steve Stricker, $3,986,063
2022 — Steven Alker, $3,544,425
2020-21 — Bernhard Langer, $3,255,499 (two years combined due to COVID-19-caused shortened 2020 season)
2019 — Scott McCarron, $2,534,090
2018 — Bernhard Langer, $2,222,154
2017 — Bernhard Langer, $3,677,359
2016 — Bernhard Langer, $3,016,959
2015 — Bernhard Langer, $2,340,288
2014 — Bernhard Langer, $3,074,189
2013 — Bernhard Langer, $2,448,428
2012 — Bernhard Langer, $2,140,296
2011 — Tom Lehman, $2,081,526
2010 — Bernhard Langer, $2,648,939
2009 — Bernhard Langer, $2,139,451
2008 — Bernhard Langer, $2,035,073
2007 — Jay Haas, $2,581,001
2006 — Jay Haas, $2,420,227
2005 — Dana Quigley, $2,170,258
2004 — Craig Stadler, $2,306,066
2003 — Tom Watson, $1,853,108
2002 — Hale Irwin, $3,028,304
2001 — Allen Doyle, $2,553,582
2000 — Larry Nelson, $2,708,005
1999 — Bruce Fleisher, $2,515,705
1998 — Hale Irwin, $2,861,945
1997 — Hale Irwin, $2,343,364
1996 — Jim Colbert, $1,627,890
1995 — Jim Colbert, $1,444,386
1994 — Dave Stockton, $1,402,519
1993 — Dave Stockton, $1,175,944
1992 — Lee Trevino, $1,027,002
1991 — Mike Hill, $1,065,657
1990 — Lee Trevino, $1,190,518
1989 — Bob Charles, $725,887
1988 — Bob Charles, $533,929
1987 — Chi Chi Rodriguez, $509,145
1986 — Bruce Crampton, $454,299
1985 — Peter Thomson, $386,724
1984 — Don January, $328,597
1983 — Don January, $237,571
1982 — Miller Barber, $106,890
1981 — Miller Barber, $83,136
1980 — Don January, $44,100

Notes on the Champions Tour Money Leaders List

• You might have noticed that Jack Nicklaus does not appear on the list. Nicklaus was extremely successful in the senior events he played, he just never played enough of them to ever lead the tour in winnings.

• Bernhard Langer holds the record for most years leading the Champions Tour in money. Langer is at 11 years and counting. Don January and Hale Irwin each topped the senior money list three times, which, far behind Langer's 11, is the next-most.
• Although Arnold Palmer never led the Champions Tour in earnings, the trophy given to each year's money leader is named the Arnold Palmer Trophy.

Photo credit: "Bernhard Langer tees off on #1 with a big crowd on hand" by The Principal Charity Classic is licensed under CC BY 2.0