Rory McIlroy: Tiger Woods “has won PIP”

Tiger Woods has won the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program again, according to Rory McIlroy.

Despite Woods playing just nine competitive rounds of golf in 2022, McIlroy told Doug Ferguson of AP the 15-time major winner has topped the standings.

“I gave him a pretty good run,” McIlroy said.

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Last year Woods beat Phil Mickelson despite the latter initially claiming he had won the top prize.

The PIP was introduced in 2021 to reward players who boosted engagement and publicity for the tour, and was widely seen as an attempt to stave off the threat posed by what is now LIV Golf.

Five of the top ten from 2021 have moved to the Saudi-funded league.

However, sweeping changes were announced earlier this year, including an increase in the overall prize fund from $40million to $100million and payouts for 20 players rather than ten.

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Despite his lack of action on the course, Woods has had a busy year.

His return to action at the Masters was one of the stories of the year, as was his appearance at the Open which he admitted could be his St Andrews swansong.

He also went into business with McIlroy, founding TMRW Sports – the firm behind the PGA Tour’s new tech-led TGL project.