Tiger Woods is undoubtedly having a very difficult year. Firstly, he was unable to compete in several important competitions, such as the PGA Championship and the US Open Tournament, and withdraw from the Masters due to his health issues. And now another piece of bad news awaits Woods: the PGA Tour, along with the DP World Tour, has decided to merge with LIV Golf. The agreement was done so secretively that Woods, who had turned down almost $1 billion to join LIV Golf, was not even aware of it.

However, this news definitely brought joy to LIV golfer Phil Mickelson, who has been advocating for the Saudi backed tour for long. There was a good chance he already knew about the merger before it was officially announced. But things are not over for Woods yet, as now his rival Phil Mickelson is also in the frame.

PIP Payout and Mickelson’s last-year embarrassment

The PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program (PIP) is a way of rewarding players for boosting engagement and publicity for the PGA Tour. To get on the winning list, a golfer should be a current PGA Tour member and have played in at least five Tour events in at least one of the last five seasons. Golfers should also be active on social media and be the center of attention in golf towns.

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When the winners list for 2021 was announced the previous year, there was a lot of drama. Phil Mickelson, who is known for his outspoken nature, claimed that he had won PIP money in December 2021. But when the actual results were out in March 2022, Tiger Woods won the PIP money. Not only did he triumph, but he also poked fun at Lefty by tweeting “Whoops” in response to Lefty’s assertion. 

Mickelson had to endure the humiliation at the time. After the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger, things will undoubtedly alter forever. There is speculation that LIV golfers who were formerly suspended by the PGA Tour may get the chance to rejoin it. While Mickelson is surely enjoying his time on the field, as per the eligibility criteria, he is surely a good contender for the $15,000,000 check. He uses social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram frequently, and has performed well in both majors up to this point. While the other factors say he can win the PIP, unfortunately he won’t be able to because, according to The New York Times, LIV golfers will not be able to play on the PGA Tour this year. But Woods is eligible for it.

Is Tiger Woods eligible for a PIP payout

Tiger Woods’ rank has plummeted to 1052 because of his absence on the field. Woods, on the other hand, is very reclusive on social media. According to a new standard that was announced by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, players must participate in all 13 elevated events in addition to three other competitions in order to get paid. Additionally, he stated that players may miss one elevated event.

Later, a revised statement was made, confirming that participants who miss events due to major health difficulties earn the benefits. Even though Woods missed numerous events over the past two years and did not even compete in any major tournament except the Masters, where he withdrew in the third round, he might still be taken into consideration. 

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Will Woods have a chance to win? Only time will tell. But when new things emerge, so do new dramas. What do you believe the merger’s potential effects on PIP eligibility will be? Let us know in the comments below.