Tiger Woods wins $8m prize despite barely playing

Even though he played just one tournament all year, Tiger Woods won $8m for generating more media interest than any other golfer.

Woods is the first winner of thePIP.

The scheme rewards competitors for generating interest in the American circuit.

Despite not having played an official tour event for over a year, the former world number one has a career earnings of over $90 million.

He only competed in an exhibition parent-child tournament in December.

The 10 players who profited have been revealed in a memo to PGA Tour members.

Phil Mickelson claimed that he had won the largest share of the prize fund. He got $6m for finishing second to Woods.

The oldest major winner last year was the 51-year-old.

The programme is based on metrics measuring a player's ability to generate interest, and all five of them received $3.5m.

Grant Thornton verified the results after analyzing internet searches, articles, social media, sponsor exposure and awareness among the US population.

In February of 2021, Woods was seriously injured in a car crash and was not seen for much of the year. In late November a social media post of him hitting golf balls under the title "making progress" attracted 7.8 million views.

The 15-time major champion and his son, Charlie, competed in the same event a month later. They made 11 consecutive birdies in the final round and finished second.

Woods, who used a buggy to play the Florida tournament, still does not know when he will be fit enough to return to the main tour.

Major winners of thePIP were: Jon Rahm,Dustin Johnson, and others. Each player received $3 million.

The bonus pool will increase to $50 million this year, a move that was criticized by the Open champion.

That's crazy to me, I stated a fortnight ago.