CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- Rory McIlroy says he had his reasons for skipping his second elevated event at the RBC Heritage.
That wasn鈥檛 enough for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to pay out the remaining US$3 million of McIlroy's Player Impact Program bonus.
Monahan announced Wednesday that the world鈥檚 third-ranked player won鈥檛 receive the US$3 million sum 鈥� a day after the 33-year-old McIlroy said he presented his case.
McIlroy finished second to Tiger Woods in the PIP program, which measures a player鈥檚 popularity and impact on tour. He was set to make a US$12 million, but that payout has been reduced by 25 per cent after he missed his second elevated event.
Under the PIP rules, the top players are only allowed one 鈥渙pt-out鈥� for the season鈥檚 12 designated 鈥渆levated tournaments鈥� on this year鈥檚 tour, not including the four major tournaments and the Players Championship. McIlroy's decision to skip the tournament in Hilton Head, South Carolina, was his second opt-out after missing the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Monahan said the rules are 鈥渃ut and dried.鈥�
鈥淲hen we made when we made the commitment to this schedule with the Player Impact Program, we adjusted for one opt out,鈥� Monahan said at the Wells Fargo Championship. 鈥淔or any second opt out, you would forfeit to 25 per cent unless there was a medical issue. ... So in terms of precedent, in any situation like that we鈥檙e going to look at the criteria against the situation at hand and make a decision, There鈥檚 nothing really unusual about that.鈥�
McIlroy won鈥檛 have to pay anything back; the money will simply be deducted from what he was scheduled to earn.
McIlroy said Tuesday night at a FedEx Founders Fund charitable event in Charlotte that he had planned to play at the RBC Heritage but opted out because he needed a 鈥渞eset" after missing the cut at the Masters.
McIlroy indicated the stresses that engulfed the PGA Tour over the last year 鈥攍ike player defections to the LIV Tour and setting up a new schedule for 2024 鈥� have weighed heavily on him while serving as player director for the PGA Tour鈥檚 policy board. He hopes to take time away from the board after his commitment is complete.
鈥淚鈥檝e always thought I鈥檝e had a good handle on the perspective on things and sort of where golf fits within my life, and trying to find purpose outside of golf in some way,鈥� McIlroy said. "But I think over the last 12 months, I sort of lost sight of that. I鈥檇 lost sight of the fact that there鈥檚 more to life than the golf world and this little silly squabble that鈥檚 going on between tours, and all sorts of stuff."
McIlroy indicated Tuesday that he'd spoken with Monahan about his absence, but wasn't sure if the US$3 million would be withheld.
Monahan said he completely understands McIlroy's need to be refreshed, but the rules still stand.
鈥淗e knew the consequences of that," Monahan said. "First of all, players should be able to make a decision not to play. That's the beauty of our model. But he knows the consequences of that based on that criteria. And that鈥檚 our position.鈥�
