Rory McIlroy’s wallet will take a hit since he is not in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, this week, according to a recent report.
He is set to lose $3 million of his Player Impact Program payout this year for skipping this week’s RBC Heritage, Sports Illustrated reported Thursday morning. McIlroy is being docked a fourth of his $12 million payout because he opted out of his second designated event of the season. He didn’t play in the first one, the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, and all players are allowed one opt-out.
McIlroy withdrew from the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Monday, coming on the heels of him missing the cut at the Masters last week.
He and Tiger Woods were two of the main figures who spurred the PGA Tour to change its scheduling and make designated events a focal point of the schedule. The changes were to try and get the top players together more often.
The RBC Heritage is the sixth designated event of the season, not including the Players or Masters. The PIP is a bonus pool, which was $100 million in 2022, based on numerous on- and off-course factors. Last year, Tiger Woods was in the top spots and pocketed $15 million. McIlroy was second and rewarded $12 million.
The PGA Tour said players would have to play in all designated events, with the ability to skip one, to receive full payouts.
Next year, the PIP will be reduced to $50 million paid to the top 10 players. That’s a reduction from $100 million to the top 20, and a return to the original amount from the PIP’s inaugural year. But that $50 million isn’t disappearing. Instead, the remaining funds will be distributed via the FedEx Cup Bonus Program and Comcast Business Tour top 10, which rewards the top finishers on the regular season points list.