World No. 3 Rory McIlroy was docked $3 million for withdrawing from this week’s RBC Heritage under new PGA rules regarding “designated events.”
According to Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated, the fine is for a second absence from a designated event and will be withheld from the $12 million payment to McIlroy from the Player Impact Program.
The tournament began Thursday at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C., and no reason was specified for the 33-year-old Northern Ireland star’s withdrawal. McIlroy missed the cut at last week’s Masters after carding a 5-over 77 on Friday.
Any player ranked in the top 20 of the Player Impact Program are required to participate in designated events, a change the tour made last season as part of a string of counters to LIV Golf’s emergence.
Players are allowed to skip one designated event for personal or professional reasons, but McIlroy already sat out of the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions in January.
–Field Level Media