Rory McIlroy may be ranked No. 1 in the world, but he’s still No. 2 behind Tiger Woods when it comes to the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program.
Speaking with the Associated Press, McIlroy let it slip that despite his massive year in 2022, he still couldn’t top Woods for the top prize in the Tour’s lucrative bonus pool.
“Hey, I gave him a pretty good run,” McIlroy said.
The report noted that the official PIP money is still being finalized and the Tour is expected to announce the winners sometime near Thanksgiving. This year’s program will feature 20 players and $100 million in payouts, up from last year’s $40 million list paid out to 10 players.
Still recovering from a single-car accident that nearly cost him his leg, Woods reportedly won the PIP for a second consecutive year to claim the $15 million prize. The 15-time major champion competed in just three events (all majors) in 2022, making the cut at the Masters before withdrawing from the PGA Championship and missing the cut at the Open Championship.
After winning the FedEx Cup for a record third time, McIlroy claimed the PIP’s runner-up prize of $12 million following a three-win season that featured 13 top-25 finishes over 14 made cuts in 16 events.
It was officially announced earlier this week that Woods and McIlroy will team up to take on Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth next month in the latest version of Capital One’s The Match. The group of major champions will play a 12-hole competition Saturday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. ET under the lights at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, host to this week’s LPGA stop, the Pelican Women’s Championship.
Follow the Twilight 9 Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
