Rory McIlroy Takes Top Share of 2023 PGA Tour Player Impact Money, Tiger Woods Is Second

For the first time in three editions of the PIP, Tiger Woods isn't at the top but will still receive $12 million while Rory McIlroy gets $15 million.

The results of the PGA Tour’s controversial Player Impact Program were disclosed Wednesday and, in somewhat of a surprise, Tiger Woods did not finish first.

That honor went to Rory McIlroy, who will receive a $15 million bonus as part of a $100 million fund that goes to 20 players based on numerous factors, including social media engagement and having a positive impact on the PGA Tour.

Woods finished second and will get $12 million, while Jon Rahm was third and will receive $9 million.

Since the program was instituted in 2021, Woods has collected $35 million in PIP bonus money: $8 million for the first year, $15 million this past year and another $12 million with the recent results. He’s played in five official worldwide events during that time as he has recovered from a 2021 car crash. Woods is scheduled to play next week in the Bahamas at the Hero World Challenge, his first event since the Masters.

The results were sent to players via email on Wednesday, and PGA Tour player Nate Lashley posted them on social media. Lashley, 40, has won one PGA Tour event in his career and finished 96th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2023.

“How many golf fans actually know what the PIP on the PGA Tour is," Lashley wrote. “Would love to hear from golf/PGA fans if they think this $100 million was spent well? There’s 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100 million on 20 players. Seems a little ridiculous. Time for new leadership on the PGA Tour. This is an absolute kick in the face to the rest of the PGA Tour players."

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods finished 1-2 in the 2023 PGA Tour Player Impact Program.

Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports

The program started, in part, to try and help thwart the LIV Golf threat. It is viewed as a way of rewarding players who bring value to the Tour; as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, the Tour cannot provide outright guaranteed pay to players, so it instituted this program.

In 2024, the PIP outlay will be reduced to $50 million, while the remaining $50 million will be doled out to the FedEx Cup bonus pool and the Comcast Business program that rewards the top 10 at the end of the regular season. The FedEx pool is rising from $75 million to $100 million in 2024 while the Comcast program is going to $40 million.

All of this is occurring while the Tour is struggling to meet the increased purse demands of its $20 million signature events. There will be eight of them in 2024, with the Sentry paying $15 million and the other seven paying $20 million each. The Players Championship will award a $25 million purse while the first two FedEx Cup playoff events will also pay $20 million.

After Rahm came Jordan Spieth ($7.5 million), Scottie Scheffler ($6 million) and Rickie Fowler ($5.5 million)

Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood and Max Homa each will get $5 million. Xander Schauffele, Jason Day, Tony Finau, Collin Morikawa and Matt Fitzpatrick will each get $3 million, while $2 million goes to Wyndham Clark, Cameron Young, Justin Rose, Patrick Cantlay and Brian Harman.

Players will get 75% of the payment following the Sentry in January, with the remaining 25% paid upon completion a service fulfillment task. Unlike in 2023, there is no tournament playing requirement to receive any of the bonus money.