Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip this week’s RBC Heritage will cost him $3 million, according to a report by SI.com and confirmed by GolfChannel.com.
McIlroy withdrew from this week’s event at Harbour Town Golf Links, one of 12 designated events top players like the Northern Irishman must play. Under this year’s policy, McIlroy was allowed to skip one designated event. He didn’t play the Sentry Tournament of Champions to begin the year and had to forfeit a portion ($3 million) of his earnings from last year’s Player Impact Program for withdrawing from this week’s event. Golf Channel's Todd Lewis was first to report that McIlroy would face a fine.
McIlroy earned $12 million for finishing second on last year’s PIP list behind Tiger Woods and was paid 75 percent of his PIP earnings directly after the Tournament of Champions.
What remained of the final 25 percent was to be paid when he fulfilled the minimum requirements, including playing in the last two designated events, the Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship, as well as the final three majors of 2023 and the three playoff events, if he qualified. Top players, as identified by the PIP, also must play three non-designated events and participate in a Tour-related activity like a golf clinic or dinner with a sponsor.
Beginning next year there will be no minimum requirements and the number of designated events will be reduced to eight outside of the majors, The Players Championship and the playoffs. The PIP will also be reduced to $50 million and will not be used to identify players for designated events.