"Absolute kick in the face" - Nate Lashley launches $100,000,000 critique against PGA Tour, expressing frustration on Tour issues
The PIP metrics for the PGA Tour were revealed recently, and they enraged pro golfer Nate Lashley. The world number 170 took to social media to air his grievances over the $100 million fund that was used to pay players.
It was revealed that the top players took home the vast majority of the PIP, which stands for Player Impact Program. Rory McIlroy took home $15 million. Tiger Woods, who barely even played in 2023, took home $12 million.
Lashley shared the metrics on Instagram and ripped the Tour in the caption:
"How many golf fans actually know what the PIP on the PGA Tour is? Would love to hear from golf/PGA fans if they think this $100 million was spent well?"
He continued, saying that the omission of almost 180 golfers in this financial bonus is "ridiculous". He said:
“There’s 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100 million on 20 players. Seems a little ridiculous. Time for new leadership on the PGA Tour. This is an absolute kick in the face to the rest of the PGA Tour players.”
The rest of the payouts saw Jon Rahm take home $9 million all the way down to the 20th player, Brian Harman, who won $2 million in payouts. McIlroy reportedly had to forfeit $3 million after skipping a designated event, so he likely earned $12 million along with Woods.
Nate Lashley unlikely to be pleased with next year's PIP
The PIP prize pool next year will be lowered to $50 million. Of that, the winner will take home $10 million and only the top 10 golfers will earn any money. The other $50 million will go to the FedExCup bonus pool ($100 million), Comcast Business Tour Top 10 ($40 million) and other player programs.
That's not likely to please Nate Lashley, as he seems to be advocating for the Tour to pay more players, not less. He railed on them for spending $100 million on 20 players. Spending $50 million on 10 players is not much of an improvement.
The full standings for 2023 are:
- Rory McIlroy — $15 million
- Tiger Woods — $12 million
- Jon Rahm — $9 million
- Jordan Spieth — $7.5 million
- Scottie Scheffler — $6 million
- Rickie Fowler — $5.5 million
- Viktor Hovland — $5 million
- Justin Thomas — $5 million
- Tommy Fleetwood — $5 million
- Max Homa — $5 million
- Xander Schauffele — $3 million
- Jason Day — $3 million
- Tony Finau — $3 million
- Collin Morikawa — $3 million
- Matt Fitzpatrick — $3 million
- Wyndham Clark — $2 million
- Cameron Young — $2 million
- Justin Rose — $2 million
- Patrick Cantlay — $2 million
- Brian Harman — $2 million
The Player Impact Program was designed to reward certain golfers. Performance had one thing to do with it, but there were a lot of factors.
The winner being Rory McIlroy suggests that he was the most profitable player on Tour this year. Despite a lengthy absence and barely a decent performance this year, Tiger Woods must have been the second-most profitable.