The PGA Tour has published the earnings some of its top stars made from the revamped Player Impact Program (PIP) in 2023, with some of the biggest names in the sport getting an extra pay day on top of their earnings on the course.
The PIP rewards players for their efforts in boosting engagement and publicity of the tour, first introduced in 2021 as a response to the money being offered to players to jump ship and join LIV Golf.
The pool of money has been boosted even further this year, with the top 20 players on the list receiving a share of $100million.
Rory McIlroy is the top earner for 2023, receiving $15million. Tiger Woods was second on the list, getting $12million despite hardly playing this year. Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, and Scottie Scheffler make up the rest of the top five.
2023 PIP results
via @NateLashley instagram. pic.twitter.com/rc3VCc4pDH— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) November 23, 2023
While this move was made in order to appease the biggest names on the PGA Tour, not everyone feels that it is the best use of the funds available to the organisation.
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PGA Tour player calls out use of Player Impact Program
Nathan Lashley has been part of the PGA Tour since 2018, with his only win since then coming in the Rocket Mortgage Classic the following year. He is viewed as a journeyman player on the tour, finishing just inside the top 100 on the money list for 2023.
Taking to Instagram, he slammed the decision to award such sums of money to the top stars in the game and exclude the rest of the players currently plying their trade in the PGA Tour.
How many golf fans actually know what the PIP on the PGA Tour is? 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.
The PGA Tour would say that this move helps to ensure that golf's biggest stars remain on the PGA Tour, something that would ultimately benefit the organisation and the other players in the long-term.
However, you can see why players who earn far less than the ones included on this list might be a bit peeved with the decision.
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