• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 19, 2025

PGA Tour’s $100M Incentive Program May Be On Thin Ice

  • Jordan Spieth says he doesn’t think the PGA Tour needs its Player Impact Program anymore.
  • The bonus system paid out $100 million to 20 players in 2023.
Syndication: The Commercial Appeal

Since 2021, the PGA Tour has been rewarding its most engaging stars with tens of millions of dollars in bonus money each year.

However, the lucrative Player Impact Program — which this year paid a record $100 million to 20 golfers — may not survive in the long run.

“Its goal was to help prevent players from accepting high-dollar Saudi offers, LIV offers,” three-time major champion Jordan Spieth said ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. But the PIP program “doesn’t really do that,” he said.

Top PGA Tour stars like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka bolted for LIV Golf last year, and Jon Rahm is rumored to be considering a $600 million offer.

The PIP was originally launched by the PGA Tour to reward players who were making an impact off the course. The program used metrics like TV viewership and social media engagement to determine the most popular players — and therefore who got the biggest paychecks.

For the 2023 season, the top five included Rory McIlroy ($15 million), Tiger Woods ($12 million), Rahm ($9 million), Spieth ($7.5 million), and Scottie Scheffler ($6 million).

It was recently confirmed that players would receive equity in PGA Tour Enterprises, the commercial entity to be formed as part of the framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour.

In 2024, the PIP will be cut in half to $50 million for 10 golfers, with the other $50 million going to other player bonus programs like the FedEx Cup. 

“I’m not sure what that will look like after that,” Spieth said. “Hopefully, it won’t need to exist.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Netflix Beats Projections Again—and Plots Big Holiday Sports Slate

The streaming giant again beats analyst projections in every respect.

Cleveland’s WNBA Team Follows Golden State’s Proven Blueprint

The franchise will play its first WNBA season in 2028.
Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run in the swing off of after the 2025 MLB All Star Game ended in a tie at Truist Park.

MLB All-Star Game Viewership Dips Despite Historic Swing-Off

Game viewership falls 3% despite late dramatics in the unique tiebreaker.
The 153rd Open

Trump Talks Continue, but Turnberry’s Open Return Is Uncertain

Trump Turnberry is still under consideration for future Open Championships.

Featured Today

Ryan Field Construction
exclusive

First Look Inside Northwestern’s $862 Million New Ryan Field

Five big things FOS learned on our exclusive stadium tour.
Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.
July 17, 2025

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces the pick for the Athletics pick during the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy.

Manfred Says MLB Had Wrong Approach to Creators Like Jomboy

“You gotta go where people are going,” the commissioner said.
July 18, 2025

WNBA Stars Say Zero Progress Made at CBA Meeting

The WNBA and its union had their first in-person meeting Thursday.
July 18, 2025

Golf’s Prize Money Boom Is Slowing Down

There is no purse increase at The Open Championship.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Calais Campbell (middle) receives the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award from executive director Lloyd Howell (left) and president) JC Tretter (right) at the NFLPA Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center prior to Super Bowl LVIII.
July 18, 2025

What Comes Next After NFLPA Chief’s Sudden Resignation?

Howell quit on his own accord; he was not forced out.
July 18, 2025

New NFLPA Head Will Face Multibillion-Dollar Decisions

The next NFLPA leader will wrestle with a series of pressing issues.
Lloyd Howell
July 18, 2025

Scandal-Ridden NFLPA Chief Lloyd Howell Quits

The union executive director stepped down late Thursday night.
July 17, 2025

Unrivaled Founder Says Growing League Has ‘No Conflict’ With WNBA

Alex Bazzell co-founded Unrivaled with Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.