Rory McIlroy will lose $3 million amid decision to pull out of RBC Heritage after Masters, according to report

Rory McIlroy’s decision to pull out of the 2023 RBC Heritage on Monday came as a surprise and although the world No 3 golfer gave no reason, the move will come with a penalty. According to reports, the PGA Tour will bring in McIlroy $3 million of the $12 million he earned after completing the Player Impact Program last year. Sports Illustrated.

McIlroy finished second in the PIP – a year-long assessment of the most popular players (theoretically) generating the most revenue for the PGA Tour – last year ahead of Tiger Woods. Because he was given $9 million of the $12 million he earned in the PIP fund, he will not be paid the remaining $3 million due to lack of RBC Legacy. Tour is in fact fined him $3 million, although that won’t be the amount he has to pay the organization.

Why all this on a WD?

Players who entered the PIP (23 in 2022) must play all but one designated event in 2023 to receive their winnings. This was reported back in November after the 2023 schedule is implemented. McIlroy, who missed the League of Champions in January, is now missing the second such event in RBC Heritage.

The tournament will not require players to participate in the specified events in 2024, although they will be encouraged to enter those fields with more FedEx Cup points awarded at those events and the route of participation. join events. next year rather narrow (only the top 50 in the FedEx Cup qualify). While participation will no longer be required to receive PIP coins, a player will play with fire if he doesn’t show up.

Coincidentally, in the final episode of the Netflix documentary “Full Swing”, it was McIlroy who told a PGA Tour executive that some star players were unhappy about the “forced” nature of the games. specified event for 2023. He went on to say that he told these players: If I may appear for specified events, so can Friend.

While McIlroy will not compete at RBC Heritage, reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm will attend despite his career record last week. Although exhausted after a stressful week at work, Rahm said he wanted to show up because he was committed.

“It has crossed my mind [to withdraw]”, he said. “I thought about that, but I made a commitment at the beginning of the year and I want to honor that commitment. Me too, talking to [my wife] Kelley, I’ve put myself in the shoes of not only the audience but the kids as well. If I were one of the kids, I would want to see the recent Masters champion play, for better or worse, I just want to be there.”

McIlroy has been criticized for not having a similar attitude towards the RBC Legacy. However, since there is no information from his camp about the reasoning behind WD, there is hardly enough data on which to base such an opinion.

Regardless, missing out on $3 million is a big deal for anyone — even someone as successful as McIlroy.