World No. 3 Rory McIlroy was docked $3 million for withdrawing from this week’s RBC Heritage under new PGA rules regarding “designated events.”
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 PGA Tour confirmed Friday that McIlroy will not be getting the $3 million.
The tournament began Thursday at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, 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.
His manager, Sean Flaherty, told The Associated Press in a text message only that McIlroy did not make any comment regarding Hilton Head and that he would next play the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow next month.
Players 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.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this report.