Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry picked up an extra $8m (£6.5m) from the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Programme last year to take their joint haul for 2024 beyond £33m.
According to the Sports Business Journal, a memo issued by the Tour to players in November showed that Tiger Woods topped the PIP standings for the third time in four years despite the 15-time Major winner playing just five official events.
Woods was awarded $10m (£8.1m) while World No.1 Scottie Scheffler finished second with $8m (£6.5m).
McIlroy, who topped the list in 2023, was third with $4.5m (£3.7m) in what was the last year of the PIP.
The programme which started in the 2020-21 season was designed to reward players who generated more interest in the US tour based on internet searches, earned media, TV sponsor exposure, general population awareness and golf fan awareness.
The PIP pool was cut from $100m (£82m) to $50m (£41m) last year and has now been replaced by the Player Equity Program (PEP), which will see all tour members eligible for equity grants.
According to the Tour, “approximately” the top 20 performers will split £84m via the PEP scheme “based on last three-year performance, last year performance, as well as measurement criteria that have been used in the
Player Impact Program” at the end of 2025.
The PIP bonuses took total earnings by Holywood ace McIlroy and Co Offaly star Lowry to over £33m last year. Not including endorsements, investments or performance bonuses, McIlroy pocketed £24.23m with Lowry earning £9.79m — still a long way behind Scheffler, who finished the year with earnings to £57.3m or $70m.
1 Tiger Woods $10m (£8.1m); 2 Scottie Scheffler $8m (£6.5m); 3 Rory McIlroy $4.5m (£3.7m); 4 Xander Schauffele $4.5m; 5 Jordan Spieth $4.5m; Collin Morikawa $4.5m; 7 Shane Lowry $3.5m (£2.8m); 8 Justin Thomas $3.5m; 9 Tommy Fleetwood $3.5m; 10 Wyndham Clark $3.5m.