The PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program rewards golfers based on their off-course metrics, with Rory McIlroy winning the $15 million prize for generating the most positive interest in the PGA Tour.
At Glance
– The PIP is designed to reward PGA Tour members who generate the most positive interest in the PGA Tour based on objective measurement criteria.
– The payout for PIP winners is determined by off-course metrics such as media mentions, Google search data, and general population awareness.
– The PIP has faced criticism for not being determined by on-course performance and for the eye-watering sums handed out.
– The PIP is funded by the PGA Tour, so only players on that tour are eligible, meaning LIV players do not qualify for the bonus.
Pro golf is on a one way street to nowhere. Lost its mind, and I’ve lost my respect and love for it.
— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie)
The PGA Tour has announced the results of the 2023 Player Impact Program (PIP). Rory McIlroy has secured the first prize of $15 million, surpassing Tiger Woods. The PIP is established to reward players who generate the most positive interest in the PGA Tour through objective measurement criteria.
The program aims to reward the biggest names in golf, those who fans most tune in to watch and whose names appear most frequently on social media and news headlines. It is funded by the PGA Tour, making only players on that Tour eligible to receive the bonus, excluding the LIV players.
Introduced in the 2020-21 season, the PIP has faced criticism from players. Nate Lashley referred to it as “an absolute kick in the face to the rest of the PGA Tour players,” while DP World Tour player Eddie Pepperell suggested professional golf had “lost its mind” when the latest figures were released.
The PIP score is based on five sections: Nielsen Brand Exposure, Google Search Data, Media Mentions, MARC General Population Awareness, and MARC Golf Fan Awareness. These metrics determine a player’s PIP score and ultimately their placement in the rankings. On-course performance does have a role in the standings, but off-course metrics mostly dictate the results.
The PIP plans to reward players for their level of positive interest in the PGA Tour. This year, Rory McIlroy has taken the top spot, surpassing Tiger Woods. It is clear that the PIP is designed to reward the biggest names in the game, and the critics of the program argue that the standing are not based on on-course performance. The program also dictates its winners based on Nielsen Brand Exposure, Google Search Data, Media Mentions, MARC General Population Awareness, and MARC Golf Fan Awareness.
