RORY McILROY has beaten Tiger Woods to the PGA Tour’s £12million bonus award.

But one former golf ace has described the payout as “a kick in the face.”

PGA chiefs introduced the bonus award in 2021 in order to stop their best players from joining rivals LIV.

Known as the ‘Player Impact Program’, a total of £80m is shared among 20 putters deemed to have made the biggest impact over the course of a season.

And this year has seen McIlroy top the list for the first time.

According to the Telegraph, the results are yet to be officially revealed.

But they claim to see have seen a memo confirming McIlroy as the winner.

And the Northern Irishman, who has won titles in Dubai and Scotland this year, has been given the top cash prize of £12m.

He finished above Woods, who won the first two PIP awards.

Despite not playing since April, he has still scooped a cool £9.5m.

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And third place has gone to Spain’s Jon Rahm, the winner of £7.2m.

However, former PGA Tour winner Nate Lashley reckons the cash prizes are a “kick in the face” to other golfers.

And he reckons fans of the sport are in agreement, declaring: “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 is $100m well spent? There’s 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100m 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.”

But Lashley’s views were not echoed by fellow former Tour winner Jason Gore.

Now the principal player liaison executive, he said: “PIP is designed to reward members who — through objective measurement criteria — are shown to generate the most positive interest in the PGA Tour.”