04 May 2023 , 15:51
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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has confirmed Rory McIlroy 's £2.4 million Player Impact Programme (PIP) sanction will be upheld after the Northern Irishman broke Tour rules last month.
After missing the cut at the Masters, McIlroy made the decision to pull out of the RBC Heritage that was taking place at Harbour Links just a week later. The decision to withdraw was a controversial one though, with it being the second time in four months that he'd skipped an elevated event.
The punishment for skipping two of the PGA Tour's elevated tournaments is the loss of 25 percent of the PIP bonus from 2022, which for McIlroy was a multi-million pound fine.
Following the withdrawal, it remained unknown as to whether McIlroy would be hit with the sanction after both the player and Tour remained tight-lipped. Three weeks on though, commissioner Jay Monahan has confirmed the player will be held accountable.
Speaking at this week's Wells Fargo Championship, Monahan said per Bunkered : "When we made the commitment to this schedule with the Player Impact Programme, we adjusted for one opt-out and for any second opt-out, you forfeit 25% unless there were some medical issues.
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Jay Monahan confirmed McIlroy's punishment (Getty Images)"When you’re in a situation like that, you just have to look at the criteria. In terms of any situation like that, we’re going to look at a situation and we’re going to make a decision.” McIlroy himself broke his own silence, four weeks on from his missed cut at Augusta and RBC Heritage withdrawal.
Accepting his punishment he said to the Miami Herald : "I knew the consequences that could come with missing one of those [elevated events]. It was an easy decision. It was worth that for me to get some other things in place. I had my reasons to not play Hilton Head and I've expressed those to Jay [Monahan].
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Rory McIlroy withdrew from last month's RBC Heritage (AP)"Whether he thinks that's enough to warrant – again I understood the consequences of that decision before I did it. So whatever happens, happens." Insisting his decision was done to protect his 'mental and emotional well-being', he told Golf Channel: "More for my mental and emotional well-being I needed to be at home for those few weeks.
"I think I'm in a better head space than I was. I needed a break for me. Obviously, after the disappointment of Augusta, and it's been a pretty taxing 12 months mentally, so it was nice to just try to disconnect and get away from it."