Golf star lays bare true cost of chasing PGA Tour | Golf News

Playing on the PGA Tour is a dream for many, but it comes with a hefty price tag. James Nicholas, 29, who certified for this 12 months’s US Open and performed in 26 Korn Ferry Tour Events in 2025, has given us a glimpse into the financial dedication required.

Despite ending sixty fourth in the standings and retaining his Korn Ferry Tour card, Nicholas did not rank high enough to secure his PGA Tour card.

Nicholas has also leveraged his platform to improve his social media presence, coinciding with Good Good Golf’s impending PGA Tour debut. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods has dropped to a new low in the world rankings after his latest health update.

Nicholas, who is an element of a group of golf content creators, revealed his earnings and bills over the past 12 months.

He made over 11 cuts on the KFT, raking in over $173K. He also pocketed $43,544 for a T61 end at the 2025 U.S. Open.

In addition to some bonuses and a small test from the Minor League Golf Tour, Nicholas earned a whole of $255,057 in 2025.

However, he also had vital bills. His largest outlay was his caddie, costing him $1,500 per week, with a base pay of $37,400. An eight % bonus introduced that whole to $58,340.

Accommodations, including motels and AirBnbs, cost him $27,747. His Delta flights amounted to $17,036, and he spent an extra $13,100 on his content creation workforce.

Between groceries, teaching, transportation, entry charges, a coach, locker and membership repairs, and other miscellaneous gadgets, Nicholas shelled out over $35,000.

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Adding it all up, Nicholas’s whole expenditure got here to $151,249, netting him a revenue of over $100,000. This determine would not issue in any sponsorships or social media offers, just pure golf earnings.

He captioned his post with, “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’s interests anyone!”