William McGirt turned 12 years of grinding through mini-tours into a $1.53 million payday at the 2016 Memorial Tournament — one of the most unlikely and emotional wins in recent PGA Tour history.
His estimated net worth sits at $11 million, built on career prize money exceeding $11.5 million, equipment and apparel sponsorships, and a two-decade commitment to professional golf that never wavered even during two career-threatening hip surgeries.
William McGirt’s Biography
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | William Curtis McGirt III |
| Date of Birth | June 21, 1979 |
| Age | 47 |
| Birthplace | Fairmont, North Carolina, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Height / Weight | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) / 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| College | Wofford College (Business Economics, 2001) |
| Turned Professional | 2004 |
| Years Active | 2004 – present |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour), Tarheel Tour |
| Career High OWGR | 38th (July 31, 2016) |
| Net Worth | $11 million (estimated) |
| Career Prize Money | $11,540,428+ |
| PGA Tour Wins | 1 (2016 Memorial Tournament) |
| Major Titles | 0 |
| Best Major Results | T10 – 2016 PGA Championship; T22 – 2017 Masters |
| Spouse | Sarah Bagwell McGirt (married 2004) |
| Children | 2 — Miles Cameron (Mac) and Caroline James |
| Residence | Spartanburg / Bluffton, South Carolina |
| Nickname | Dirt McGirt |
Early Life and Golf Journey
William Curtis McGirt III grew up in Fairmont, a small town in Robeson County, North Carolina. He picked up the game early — as he put it himself, his aunt “had me on the golf course as soon as I could walk.”
Growing up, he excelled at two sports, receiving scholarship offers in both golf and baseball from multiple colleges before choosing to focus on the fairways.
McGirt enrolled at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he became one of the program’s most decorated players.
He recorded three career wins for the Wofford Terriers, including the 2001 Southern Conference Championship, where he fired a 5-under-par 205 and won via sudden death.
He also earned the 1998 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year award and was later inducted into the Wofford College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
After graduating with a degree in Business Economics in 2001, McGirt spent three years in the amateur ranks before making the jump to professional golf in 2004.
His amateur résumé included victories at the 2003 Carolina Amateur and the 2003 North Carolina Amateur — strong performances that signalled his readiness for the next level.
Professional Golf Career
McGirt’s path to the PGA Tour was paved with patience. He reached the final stage of the 2009 PGA Tour Qualifying School, earning the right to play on the Nationwide Tour in 2010.
He finished 34th on the Nationwide Tour money list that year, then finished runner-up at Q-School to earn his PGA Tour card for 2011.
His first PGA Tour stint was promising but ended with a return to Q-School. His second attempt stuck.
By 2012, he had posted a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open to cement his status. He continued to earn his card season by season through steady, if unspectacular, play.
The defining moment of his career arrived on June 5, 2016, at Muirfield Village Golf Club. McGirt defeated Jon Curran on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the $8.5 million Memorial Tournament — his first PGA Tour title after 165 starts on tour.
The win was the product of relentless ball striking, clutch bunker play, and an iron will forged on years of mini-tour grind.
Wife
William McGirt married Sarah Bagwell McGirt in 2004.
Sarah, who attended Wofford College and graduated in 2003, worked as a senior project manager for Adidas during the lean years of McGirt’s career — a role that helped support the family financially while he chased his PGA Tour dream.
During a particularly grueling stretch on the mini-tour circuit, the couple went four months seeing each other for a total of just eight days.
The couple has two children — Miles Cameron (known as Mac) and Caroline James. After winning the Memorial, McGirt said the best part of the victory was knowing his children Mac and Caroline would get to walk with him at the Par 3 Contest at the Masters.
The family currently resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina. McGirt has spoken about how much he values attending his son’s junior golf tournaments, often caddying for Mac himself.
William McGirt’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, William McGirt’s has an estimated net worth of $11 million.
He built this figure primarily through PGA Tour prize money accumulated over more than a decade, supplemented by equipment sponsorships and apparel endorsements. His net worth reflects a career defined by persistence rather than superstardom — a respected journeyman who turned one extraordinary week in Ohio into a lasting financial foundation.
Career Prize Money
McGirt’s total career earnings on the PGA Tour have surpassed $11.37 million, with the PGA Tour’s own records placing the figure at $11,540,428 as of his most recent profile update.
His single biggest payday came at the 2016 Memorial Tournament, where the victory was worth $1.53 million — roughly 100 times more than the $16,000 he had won at a 2007 Tar Heel Tour event.
His best season financially was 2015–16, during which he earned $3,614,972 — the year that included his Memorial win, his T10 at the PGA Championship, and his first Tour Championship appearance.
Outside of that peak season, his typical annual earnings on the PGA Tour ranged between roughly $500,000 and $1.3 million.
In 2024, his competitive appearances were limited, with his best result being a T25 at the ISCO Championship that earned him $30,733, alongside a T63 at the Myrtle Beach Classic worth $8,760.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Tour Events / Notable Results | Prize Money (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | PGA Tour rookie season; FedEx Cup Playoffs | ~$500,000 |
| 2011–12 | T2 RBC Canadian Open; crossed $1M for first time | ~$1,100,000 |
| 2012–13 | T2 RBC Canadian Open (repeat); retained card | ~$900,000 |
| 2013–14 | Consistent cuts; T9 RBC Heritage | ~$700,000 |
| 2014–15 | T2 Sanderson Farms Championship | ~$1,200,000 |
| 2015–16 | Won Memorial Tournament; T10 PGA Championship; Tour Championship | $3,614,972 |
| 2016–17 | T22 Masters; T9 SBS Tournament of Champions | ~$1,300,000 |
| 2017–18 | Hip injury ends season early | ~$300,000 |
| 2019–2022 | Post-surgery return; limited starts | ~$600,000 (combined) |
| 2023–24 | Korn Ferry Tour and limited PGA events | ~$80,000 |
Endorsements
McGirt’s endorsement portfolio has evolved alongside his career. At his peak in 2016–17, his sponsors included TaylorMade-Adidas, Cozen O’Connor (a national law firm), Scotty Cameron Putters, Cleveland Golf, Srixon, and the Young Adjustment Company.
The TaylorMade relationship covered his driver and irons, while Scotty Cameron covered his putter — a combination common among competitive mid-tier PGA Tour players of that era.
His apparel connection through Sarah’s career at Adidas likely smoothed certain brand relationships during that period.
While he has not been linked to the kind of eight-figure lifestyle endorsement contracts held by elite players, his sponsorship packages — equipment, apparel, and regional business partners — added meaningfully to his tournament income during his prime years.
More recently, his competitive visibility has diminished alongside his ranking, making major new endorsement announcements less likely.
Career Statistics
| Season | Events Played | Titles Won | Top-10s | Cuts Made | Year-End FedEx Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 83rd |
| 2011–12 | 28 | 0 | 2 | ~18 | ~100th |
| 2014–15 | 28 | 0 | 3 | ~17 | ~80th |
| 2015–16 | 28 | 1 (Memorial) | 7 | ~20 | 24th |
| 2016–17 | 25 | 0 | 2 | ~16 | ~75th |
| 2017–18 | ~15 | 0 | 0 | ~8 | 116th |
| 2024 | 5+ | 0 | 0 | 2 | 151–200 range |
| Career Total | 279+ | 1 (PGA Tour) | 15+ | – | Career High: 24th |
FAQs
What is William McGirt’s net worth?
William McGirt’s estimated net worth is $11 million. He built this figure through over $11.5 million in PGA Tour prize money, equipment sponsorships with TaylorMade and Srixon, and apparel partnerships accumulated across a two-decade career.
How much did William McGirt earn at the 2016 Memorial Tournament?
McGirt earned $1.53 million for winning the 2016 Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club. It remains by far his single largest career payday, coming after a sudden-death playoff victory over Jon Curran.
What are William McGirt’s career total prize money earnings?
McGirt’s career prize money on the PGA Tour has surpassed $11.54 million across more than 279 tour events. His peak season was 2015–16, when he earned $3.61 million including his Memorial win and a T10 at the PGA Championship.
Has William McGirt ever won a Major championship?
His best Major result was a T10 at the 2016 PGA Championship, and he also finished T22 at the 2017 Masters Tournament — his only Masters appearance to date.
What sponsors does William McGirt have?
McGirt’s verified sponsors included TaylorMade, Adidas, Srixon, Scotty Cameron, Cleveland Golf, and regional business partner Cozen O’Connor. His sponsorship activity has scaled back in line with his reduced competitive schedule post-hip surgery.
