Rory McIlroy finishes second to Tiger Woods in the PGA Tour's PIP, takes season earning to $40 million

Rory McIlroy recently became the world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods dropped several places and sank to a new career-low in the rankings.

The two currently have around 1,200 players between them. However, Woods still managed to beat McIlroy in the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program.

McIlroy, who recently overtook Scottie Scheffler to become the top-rated golfer in the world, has now stated that Tiger Woods has beaten him in the PIP. The ace golfer said that he failed to beat his friendly rival to the top prize in the Tour’s lucrative bonus pool.

The Northern Ireland golfer was speaking to The Associated Press when he said that he could only manage second in the American circuit’s Player Impact Program. Speaking about it, McIlroy said:

"Hey, I gave him (Woods) a pretty good run."

However, it is not official yet. As per reports, PGA Tour officials are yet to finalize the PIP money. This is expected to be announced along with the winners sometime near Thanksgiving. However, McIlroy seems certain that he will be second after Woods despite having a formidable year.

For the unversed, McIlroy won the FedEx Cup for a record third time this year. The golfer claimed the PIP’s runner-up prize of $12 million after making the cuts for 14 out of 16 events. He also took the world No.1 ranking last month.

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How much did Tiger Woods win from the Player Impact Program?

As per the PGA Tour, this year’s PIP will feature 20 players. The program is set to have a $100 million payout, rising from $40 million for 10 players from last year.

This would be Tiger Woods’ second consecutive year winning the PIP bonus pool. The legendary golfer would claim the $15 million prize despite playing only nine rounds in three majors.

Woods, who is still recovering from a single-car accident that nearly cost him his leg in 2021, was part of the Masters. Notably, the 15-time major champion withdrew from the PGA Championship midway through and missed the cut at the Open Championship earlier in the year.

Despite having a forgettable season, Woods might get an extra paycheck owing to the PGA Tour’s player support program.

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Will Tiger Woods return soon?

It is also noteworthy that the PIP bonus talks come only days after ’The Match' was officially announced.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are set to team up against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in the latest version of Capital One’s exhibition event next month. The 12-hole competition is set to take place on Saturday, December 10 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

Meanwhile, McIlroy has also come out to state that Woods could also feature at the Hero World Challenge in December. The Irish golfer said that Woods’ condition was "overall fine."

Tiger Woods will also be taking part in the upcoming PNC Championship this year. The recent Golf Hall of Famer is set to team up with his son, Charlie Axel Woods, yet again for the event.