Revenue distribution or money allocation is not an easy process in any sport. Not everyone can be made happy. Certain players earn a lot more than their colleagues by dint of their star power. The simple logic is that they generate revenue for their respective sport.

Golf is no different. Superstars like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who have embellished the sport through their glorious achievements on the course and charisma off it, earn a lot more than the normal golfers. They have also been rewarded for making an impact on their sport that lesser players have not been able to do. But this creates a scope for discontent among their fellow golfers.

Pablo Larrazabal cries foul

Twenty players on the PGA Tour, including Woods and McIlroy, have been rewarded handsomely in 2023 via the Player Impact Programme (PIP). All of them got a share of the $100 million bonus pool, determined by the fact that they helped generate more “positive interest” for men’s golf. This, however, hasn’t gone down well with a lot of players who missed out.

Take the case of Pablo Larrazabal, a DP World Tour star with 10 professional wins in his career yet, including nine European Tour wins. The 40-year-old Spaniard didn’t mince words, condemning the pay disparity.

“The @PGATOUR gives away 100 Million to the Players Impact Program (PIP), 3 times more than the money that they pay to the @DPWorldTour for all year. Well, I hope that @JordanSpieth (new chairman of the PGA players board) makes the @DPWorldTour great again,” Larrazabal posted on X.

The reactions to his post have been mixed, with some fans even advising the golfer to accept the reality. “The only way to pay the superstars to stay on tour. Those superstars moves (sic) the needle and bring in 97% of all the money the tour can distrubute (sic),” Felix Lindberg, an entrepreneur, replied to Larrazabal’s post.

Read more: ‘Kick in the Face’: As Loyalists Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy Nab Millions in PIP Money, Upset PGA Tour Pro Spills His Frustrations in Latest Confession

He added: “If Rahm, Rory, Scheffler etc left for LIV the tour product would loose (sic) more then (sic) the PIP money costs. Economics of competition”.

Strong support

Josh from Wisconsin, posted: “I think they should double down and give the top guys even more. And throw some money to Blockie while they’re at it.” Ryan from West Sussex wrote: “Sadly it appears the PGA view the European Tour/DPWT as a ‘feeder tour’ now.” Robert Peake said: “Yeah right… let’s hope @PGATOUR make European golf great again!” Smiles retorted: “Good luck with that“.

Some fans, though, threw their weight behind Larrazabal. “If Tiger is no. 2 after hardly having played any golf, then you know PIP is a scam,” posted Honourable Agent. Tickers wrote: “Let be honest… Golf at the top level is a mess and stinks of corruption…” (sic). Tiger Woods is said to have pocketed $12 million as PIP bonus, while the DP World Tour reportedly gets around $33 million-a-year from the PGA Tour.

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