Bryson DeChambeau, Bubba Watson Denied Earnings from a 2021 PGA Tour Bonus Pool
DORAL, Fla. — Bryson DeChambeau and Bubba Watson were two of the most popular players on the PGA Tour in 2021.
That popularity translated into interest in the PGA Tour, which in turn generated a payday to both players due to that popularity.
Under the inaugural Player Impact Program, DeChambeau finished fifth and was awarded $3.5 million and Watson finished tenth and was to receive $3 million.
Each player received only half of the designated money because, the PGA Tour confirmed, neither fulfilled all the requirements to receive the full amount.
According to the Tour, DeChambeau and Watson’s internet searches, earned media, social media, TV sponsor exposure and awareness—the five criteria in determining the position in the list—earned them their positions in the top 10.
Players are paid in two parts, the first after they participate in a sponsor function, which could include a dinner party with sponsors, a golf outing or a Q&A at a sponsor event, to name a few examples.
The other half of the requirement is to play in a PGA Tour event they have not played in before.
Both DeChambeau and Watson fulfilled the event portion of the requirement and were paid half the money owed, but the sponsor event portion of the requirement had not yet been fulfilled by either player.
DeChambeau was scheduled to speak in a First Tee event in Texas next month but the Tour has not allowed DeChambeau’s appearance to count, suggesting it would be untenable to have him touting the qualities of The First Tee when he left the Tour under what it views as dubious circumstances to LIV Golf.
“This is this is not about the money,” DeChambeau said in Miami. “To me, it's about principle.”
DeChambeau backed up his comments by saying he is willing to have the outstanding money donated to a charity of his choice, most likely junior golf.
“I've gone through that calendar year, I was fifth on the list, I completed everything I could complete, and we scheduled something for November, not knowing that this was going to happen,” DeChambeau said. “It happened, and I can't receive (the money). I'm OK with that … somehow, I hope that the PGA Tour could take that money and do something well with it. I would do the same thing, I’m pledging to give that to junior golf.”
The former U.S. Open champion offers what sounds like an equitable solution to an issue that can be seen from different sides.
The Watson situation is a bit more complicated.
To fulfill his sponsor event obligation, Watson was scheduled to participate in a sponsor’s event in February at TPC Sawgrass, but the PGA Tour cancelled his appearance, stating he was not needed, and they would schedule another event instead.
“I've never cancelled anything,” Watson said regarding the obligations under the PIP program. “I was going to fly somewhere on my own dime. And they canceled on me a couple of times.”
The act of canceling on Watson, when he was ready, willing, and able to participate, seems to change the focus on if the Tour should be able to deny Watson the $1.5 million.
Like DeChambeau, Watson is still willing to do an event, but said the Tour is not interested.
Both players are uninterested in pursuing the issue further, but DeChambeau is still a named party in the LIV antitrust lawsuit against the Tour, primarily due to the PIP issue.
Watson is taking a different path.
“It’s a lot of money,” the lefthander said. “Obviously, they need it more than me.”
The Tour declined to comment.