Woods Beats Mickelson To $8m Player Impact Progam

The 15-time Major winner takes the top prize in another blow to the beleaguered 51-year-old

Tiger Woods at the 2021 PNC Championship
(Image credit: Getty images)

Tiger Woods has pipped Phil Mickelson to the PIP Award and claimed the top prize of $8m. The Player Impact Program is a $40m prize pool shared between the top 10 players based on a range of metrics including global media attention, search engine traffic and social media engagement. 

It had been reported in December that 51-year-old Mickelson had won the award. However, there were suggestions at the time that such talk was premature, as the final PIP rankings weren’t expected to be sent to the Tour membership until last month. Those doubts have now been confirmed, leaving the six-time Major winner with $2million less in winnings.

The Player Impact Program, which was announced by the PGA Tour last year, distributes $40m among the games biggest stars to  “recognize and reward players who positively move the needle.” It began on 1 January last year and ran all year to 31 December. Despite not playing competitively following a car crash the following month, Woods has been confirmed as the sport’s most valuable player. Others who appear on the list include Rory McIlroy, Brian DeChambeau and current World No.1 Jon Rahm.

The full list of players to benefit from a cut of the $40m is Tiger Woods ($8m), Phil Mickelson ($6m), Rory McIlroy ($3.5m), Jordan Spieth ($3.5m), Bryson DeChambeau ($3.5m), Justin Thomas ($3.5m), Dustin Johnson ($3m), Brooks Koepka ($3m), Jon Rahm ($3m) and Bubba Watson ($3m)

For Mickelson, it’s another blow in what has already been a punishing last couple of weeks for the 51-year-old. He released a statement last week apologising for recent remarks about the reported Saudi Golf League and the PGA Tour. He also hinted he would take a break from the game, and has lost several sponsors in the fallout.

Player Impact Program Top 10

1. Tiger Woods ($8m)

2. Phil Mickelson ($6m)

3. Rory McIlroy ($3.5m)

4. Jordan Spieth ($3.5m)

5. Bryson DeChambeau ($3.5m)

6. Justin Thomas ($3.5m)

7. Dustin Johnson ($3m)

8. Brooks Koepka ($3m)

9. Jon Rahm ($3m)

10. Bubba Watson ($3m)


What Is The Player Impact Program?

The Player Impact Program is an award that distributes $40m to the top 10 players in a calendar year based on metrics including Google searches, the player's Nielsen Brand Exposure rating, MVP Index rating, Q Rating and coverage across media platforms. It was introduced in 2021. 

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.