PGA Tour chief snaps over Tiger Woods PIP question: "I have discretion, OK?!"

Tiger Woods will not be docked money from the PGA Tour's bonus scheme for missing designated events, commissioner Jay Monahan has revealed. 

Monahan has not been too vocal in recent months as the American circuit is embroiled in an antitrust lawsuit with their LIV Golf League rivals. 

But the embattled commissioner surfaced during the PGA Tour's first stop of 2023 in Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. 

Jon Rahm claimed the $2.7m cheque for his exploits in Hawaii as Collin Morikawa folded like a pack of cards in the first ever "elevated event" carrying a prize purse of $20m. 

Related: Collin Morikawa says Sentry collapse "sucks"

The term "elevated event" will be used a lot in 2023. The PGA Tour previously announced that 13 tournaments will receive bumper prize purses in a bid to stop the breakaway tour - commissioned by Greg Norman - from pinching any more of their top stars. 

In case you weren't aware, only the players who finish inside the top-20 in the Player Impact Program [PIP] are eligible to play in the designated events. 

Woods claimed the inaugural PIP after Phil Mickelson jumped the gun and prematurely thanked "all the crazies" for winning an $8m bonus. 

Last December Woods won the PIP for the second time, earning the $15m bonus that has been argued by critics as essentially being a slush fund to reward the top talent. 

The PIP is measured on players' social media exposure and TV time, along with other metrics. 

Woods celebrated his 47th birthday in December and will unable to participate in every elevated event owing to the injuries he sustained in his car crash in February 2021. 

 

 

 

 

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The only elevated events Woods will likely be able to participate in include the four major championships and perhaps one or two others. 

Even that might be a stretch for the 15-time major champion. 

It was previously announced that the elite players would be able to skip one elevated event. 

Rory McIlroy chose to decline an invitation to play last week in Hawaii. 

As for Woods, will he be docked cash? 

Monahan told the media that this would not be the case, stressing that he has "discretion" in this regard. 

He told the media: 

Monahan was asked if there was a policy already in place. 

He continued: 

So, does this mean that the PGA Tour is essentially making it up as they go along?

Monahan's comments suggest it would appear so. 

Next page: Jon Rahm reacts to Collin Morikawa's collapse