Rory McIlroy has been in the spotlight this week for an array of different reasons, including his strong intentions of returning to the PGA Tour Policy Board and for shutting down rumors of him joining the Saudi-backed league. And now, the four-time major winner has gone ahead and addressed the greed that was perpetuating across the tour amid the PGA Tour equity plan announcement. When asked about whether this payout policy can reimburse his years of loyalty to the Tour, World No. 2 affirmed that these equity payouts, or any compensation for that matter, could never quell the thirst of golfers.
“I think the one thing we’ve learned in golf over the last two years is there’s never enough,”
Golf is a gentleman’s sport that flaunts huge purses and added benefits, that cause the unending avarice of golfers. And with the inception of the Saudi-backed league back in 2o21, that greed for money has only gone up. McIlroy underlined that the expectations of golfers were, thus, insatiable.
In the same interview, Rory McIlroy mentioned his intentions about returning to the PGA Tour policy board after he stepped down from his position of Player Director last November. McIlroy said he could prove useful to the tour after the resignation of Webb Simpson.
“I think I can be helpful…only if people want me involved…When Webb (Simpson) and I talked and he talked about potentially coming off the board, I said, look, if it was something that other people wanted, I would gladly take that seat.”
Quite evidently, Rory misses being part of the Policy Board and wants to stay connected to the tour on a management level. His intentions also showcase his loyalty to the Tour. So, how much did the PGA Tour plan to compensate for his loyalty and that of the other golfers?
PGA Tour Announces Equity Division Among Its Golfers
The new for-profit entity, the PGA Tour Enterprises, that was created as a partnership with the SSG has announced that it would finally fulfill its promise to distribute equity stakes in the newly formed entity as a reward for the PGA Tour golfers’ loyalty and allegiance to the Tour. Rory McIlroy being in group one of the agreement, is estimated to receive a bonus of $50 million as a reward for 199 career points.
The top-earning golfer on the list is Tiger Woods, who will receive $100 million worth of stakes for 528 career points. The equity plan is divided into four groups. The first group will see a division of $750 million among 36 golfers based on their overall PGA Tour record. Followed by the second group, which will receive $75 million divided among 64 golfers. The golfers in the third group, consisting of 57 players, will receive an amount of $30 million in stakes. The fourth group consists of past champions and will see 36 golfers receive a portion of the $75 million.
This is the approximate distribution plan but specific information has not been declared yet. It’s to see if the tour releases an entire chart of its player-wise equity distribution in the coming weeks.
