Professional golf can be highly lucrative for top players. Tiger Woods earned $120.9 million from 378 PGA Tour events, while current World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has made $99.4 million from just 150 starts. In contrast, Korn Ferry Tour golfers compete for smaller purses—typically around $1 million to $1.5 million per event. Despite that, pro James Nicholas revealed he spends nearly half his earnings on travel and comfort, highlighting the steep financial gap between the tours.

Sharing an Instagram video, Nicholas wrote, “This more or less than you thought?! You can definitely do it a bit cheaper than I do, but I’ve always found that spending a bit more for comfort and ease is worth it over the long season! This doesn’t include any of my sponsors or social media deals, etc, but I can do a video on how to find sponsors and deals if that interests anyone!!”

The video shows that Nicholas made an impressive $255,057 by playing golf. However, as he mentioned in the video’s caption, these numbers don’t include any sponsorship amounts. Of the $255,057, he earned $173,507 on the Korn Ferry Tour and $43,544 on the US Open. Apart from these two tours, he made $1,711 from the Minor League Golf Tour and $35,900 in bonuses.

His major spending went into caddies and accommodations, which were AirBnB or hotels. Apart from these big expenses, the Korn Ferry Tour pro spent a substantial amount on flights, his YouTube team, and groceries & food. While these were his major expenditures, he also spent some amount on golf and mental health coaches, car rentals, entry fees, gym training, and locker room fees. Along with some miscellaneous spending, the total expenses came down to $151,249. This left him with a net gain of $103,808.

Although he spent more than half of his earnings on travel, accommodations, food, etc., Nicholas was left with a good amount. With the media household income in the USA being $83,730 for 2024, this is still a good profit, considering this doesn’t include his sponsorship and brand endorsement money. However, an average Korn Ferry Tour golfer earns approximately $112,000, which is still double the income of an average American.

As James Nicholas went transparent on his earnings and spending, fans started weighing in with their comments and questions.

Fans weigh in on James Nicholas’s spending

Nicholas’ post didn’t just reveal numbers. It sparked conversations about the reality of life on the Korn Ferry Tour. Fans were quick to share their thoughts.

One follower noted the impact of lodging costs. “Less than I thought… lodging for sure. Hell, I spent nearly that much for 12 events 🙌” This comment highlights how accommodation can be one of the largest recurring expenses for touring pros. With hotel stays often exceeding $200 per night and multiple stops each week, it’s easy to see why lodging alone can take a significant bite out of a player’s earnings.

Many fans praised Nicholas for being transparent. There are rarely any athletes, let alone a Korn Ferry Tour pro, who reveal their income and expenses so transparently. Nicholas even shared the sheet that he maintains for tracking the finances. Reflecting on the transparency, a fan wrote, “Lfg dude, that T3 was massive. Some solid net profit there. These videos are one of a kind and awesome to see!”

Echoing similar feelings regarding transparency, another user said, “Impressive, thanks for being transparent. Funny thing, the US Open made a huge difference to how this all looks. Keep up the good work 🔥.” Most events on the Korn Ferry Tour have a prize pool of $1 million, except for a few like the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, which have $1.5 million prize pool. In such a scenario, events like the US Open can act as financial game-changers for Korn Ferry players, with even a single high finish providing a substantial boost to net income.

One fan even took on James Nicholas for his promise to create a video on sponsorships. In the caption of this video, the Korn Ferry Tour pro wrote, “I can do a video on how to find sponsors and deals if that interests anyone!!” Taking him for his words, a user commented, “Would love that follow sponsor video. Great content, man, thank you for sharing, and congrats on a great year! Your action is one of my favorites out there rn.”

Finally, one Instagram user dove into the complexities of taxation. “I see you acknowledge this as all before tax. Do you incorporate yourself, or are you able to write off the -$150K in expenses? I’m sure as an athlete, there are complex tax rules to follow, especially if you’re playing and earning in different states and/or countries,” the fan wrote. This comment underscores a lesser-discussed challenge for touring professionals, which is navigating taxes across multiple jurisdictions.

Together, these reactions show that fans aren’t just spectators; they’re actively engaging with the realities of professional golf. Nicholas’ transparency helped bridge the gap between what the public sees and what it actually takes to sustain a career on the Korn Ferry Tour.