Third on the list was golfing legend Arnold Palmer. The 86-year-old Palmer, aka “The King”, just recently announced he will not hit the ceremonial tee shot at the Masters that starts the championship play due to a shoulder injury.
But while his physical health isn’t the greatest, he still earned $40 million in 2015. For perspective, Palmer made a grand total of $1.8 million during his PGA career. Now in retirement, Palmer’s AriZona brand beverage sales represented roughly one-fourth of the company’s revenues.
After Jordan, Beckham, and Palmer came former NBA player and restaurant owner Junior Bridgeman ($32 million) and former NFL player and current Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson ($30 million).
Coming in at No. 6 was golf legend Jack Nicklaus ($26 million), followed by former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal ($22 million), former race-car driver Roger Penske ($20 million), former golf star Gary Player ($19 million), former NBA star Magic Johnson ($18 million), former NFL star Michael Strahan ($17 million), former golf star Greg Norman ($15 million), former soccer great Pele ($14 million), and former tennis star Li Na ($14 million).
