Rory McIlroy is earning more money per stroke than any other player in our analysis of PGA TOUR Player Stats 2026.
Ahead of the U.S. Open, McIlroy ranks first among the top 50 golfers analyzed, averaging $3,842 per stroke from $7,995,825 in earnings, 2,081 strokes and 30 rounds.
As one of golf’s toughest major championships gets underway, attention is turning to the players with the accuracy, patience and scoring control to handle a demanding U.S. Open setup. For fans following PGA TOUR betting markets or checking the latest golf odds, earnings per stroke offers another way to compare leading contenders beyond total prize money.
Earnings per stroke does not mean players are literally paid for every shot. It is a comparative metric showing how much money each golfer has generated relative to the number of strokes recorded in the dataset.
Key findings from the analysis:
- Rory McIlroy ranks No. 1, earning $3,842 per stroke across 30 rounds.
- Scottie Scheffler ranks second, earning $3,673 per stroke across 48-rounds.
- Cameron Young ranks third, earning $3,592 per stroke, just $81 behind Scheffler.
- Matt Fitzpatrick has the highest total earnings in the top 10, with $12,127,388, but ranks fourth for earnings per stroke.
- Two former U.S. Open champions feature in the top 10: McIlroy and Fitzpatrick.
Which golfer earns the most money per stroke?
Rory McIlroy currently earns the most money per stroke among the top 50 highest earning players. His average of $3,842 per stroke puts him ahead of Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick in the dataset.
| Rank | Player | Earnings | Rounds | Strokes | Earnings per Stroke |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | $7,995,825 | 30 | 2,081 | $3,842 |
| 2 | Scottie Scheffler | $12,043,693 | 48 | 3,279 | $3,673 |
| 3 | Cameron Young | $11,978,860 | 48 | 3,335 | $3,592 |
| 4 | Matt Fitzpatrick | $12,127,388 | 56 | 3,859 | $3,143 |
| 5 | Collin Morikawa | $6,748,971 | 38 | 2,630 | $2,566 |
| 6 | Alex Fitzpatrick | $3,683,799 | 24 | 1,647 | $2,237 |
| 7 | Akshay Bhatia | $6,433,033 | 47 | 3,290 | $1,955 |
| 8 | Jacob Bridgeman | $7,154,000 | 58 | 4,040 | $1,771 |
| 9 | Ludvig Åberg | $5,591,675 | 48 | 3,337 | $1,676 |
| 10 | Xander Schauffele | $4,986,038 | 46 | 3,210 | $1,553 |
McIlroy’s shot-by-shot value comes with U.S. Open pedigree
McIlroy’s lead is built on quality rather than volume. He has played fewer rounds than every other player in the top five, but his $7.99 million return from 2,081 strokes gives him the strongest earnings-per-stroke figure in the analysis.
His U.S. Open record adds weight to the number. McIlroy won the championship in 2011, setting or tying multiple U.S. Open records, including the then-lowest 72-hole score in championship history at 16-under 268. He has also finished inside the top 10 in six of his last seven U.S. Open starts.
Scheffler has the strongest volume case
Scottie Scheffler ranks second at $3,673 per stroke, but his wider profile may be the most complete in the top 10.
Scheffler has earned $12,043,693 from 3,279 strokes across 48 rounds. That is 18 more rounds than McIlroy and 1,198 more strokes, yet he sits only $169 per stroke behind the top spot.
Is this the year Scheffler secures his Grand Slam and enters the history books? Scheffler finished T-2 in 2022, one stroke behind Matt Fitzpatrick, then followed it with a solo third in 2023 and a T-7 finish in 2025.
Cam Young is close enough to keep the debate open
Cameron Young ranks third, earning $3,592 per stroke from $11,978,860 in earnings and 3,335 strokes across 48 rounds.
Young is only $81 per stroke behind Scheffler, placing him in the same efficiency tier as two of golf’s biggest names. His U.S. Open record is also trending in the right direction after a T-4 finish in 2025 at Oakmont Country Club, his best result in the championship.
He does not yet have the major-winning history of McIlroy or Fitzpatrick, but the data points to a player converting scoring into serious value. For U.S. Open previews, Young has one of the strongest contender angles outside the obvious favorites.
Fitzpatrick leads total earnings and knows how to win this major
Matt Fitzpatrick has the highest total earnings in the top 10, with $12,127,388. However, he ranks fourth for earnings per stroke after making 3,859 strokes across 56 rounds.
His $3,143-per-stroke figure is still comfortably clear of the chasing pack, but it shows the difference between total earnings and shot-by-shot efficiency. McIlroy, Scheffler and Young have generated more value per individual stroke, while Fitzpatrick has produced the largest overall return.
Fitzpatrick won the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club, the same venue where he won the 2013 U.S. Amateur. That makes him one of the rare players to win both titles at the same course.
Morikawa and Alex Fitzpatrick lead the next tier
Collin Morikawa completes the top five with $2,566 per stroke, earning $6,748,971 from 2,630 strokes across 38 rounds.
Morikawa’s U.S. Open record supports his place near the top of the ranking. He tied for fourth in 2021 and finished T-5 in 2022, showing he has already performed well in demanding major setups.
Alex Fitzpatrick sits sixth at $2,237 per stroke from 1,647 strokes across 24 rounds. With Alex set for his 2026 U.S. Open debut, many wonder if he can perform to the heights of his brother Matt.
The split in the ranking is clear. McIlroy, Scheffler, Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, Morikawa and Alex Fitzpatrick all sit above $2,200 per stroke. The remaining four are below $2,000.
Bhatia, Bridgeman, Åberg and Schauffele complete the top 10
Akshay Bhatia ranks seventh at $1,955 per stroke. He has already shown he can handle a U.S. Open test, finishing T-16 in 2024, although he missed the cut in 2025.
Jacob Bridgeman follows in eighth at $1,771 per stroke. His U.S. Open record is limited, having missed the cut in 2025, but his place in the top 10 points to strong current value.
Ludvig Åberg ranks ninth at $1,676 per stroke. He contended on his U.S. Open debut in 2024 before finishing T-12, then missed the cut in 2025 due to shooting +8.
Xander Schauffele rounds out the top 10 at $1,553 per stroke. He has seven top-10 finishes in the U.S. Open, has never missed the cut and owns a best finish of T-3 in 2019.
How have the top 10 performed at the U.S. Open?
| Rank | Player | U.S. Open history |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | 2011 champion; top 10 in six of his last seven U.S. Open starts |
| 2 | Scottie Scheffler | Best finish T-2 in 2022; solo third in 2023; T-7 in 2025 |
| 3 | Cameron Young | Best finish T-4 in 2025 |
| 4 | Matt Fitzpatrick | 2022 champion; also won the U.S. Amateur at The Country Club |
| 5 | Collin Morikawa | Best finish T-4 in 2021; T-5 in 2022 |
| 6 | Alex Fitzpatrick | Set for his U.S. Open debut in 2026 |
| 7 | Akshay Bhatia | Best finish T-16 in 2024; missed cut in 2025 |
| 8 | Jacob Bridgeman | Missed cut in 2025 |
| 9 | Ludvig Åberg | Best finish T-12 in 2024; missed cut in 2025 |
| 10 | Xander Schauffele | Six U.S. Open top-10 finishes; best finish T-3 in 2019 |
For golf fans following the action at Shinnecock Hills, Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook offers the latest U.S. Open betting markets, PGA TOUR odds and tournament futures throughout championship week. Explore the latest golf odds with Hard Rock Bet as play unfolds.
Data accurate as of 15th June 2026.
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