Rory McIlroy may miss out on nearly $18 million after sustaining a minor back injury in the days leading up to the Tour Championship and the final round of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
McIlroy, the defending FedEx Cup champion, entered the tournament ranked third in the FedEx Cup standings and was given a 7-under score in the tournament’s unique format. Last year, McIlroy started the tournament at 4-under and six shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler. However, he made an impressive third-round score of 63 to climb up the leaderboard and secure a one-shot victory over Scheffler and Sungjae Im.
This year, McIlroy had a better chance of catching up to Scheffler, who once again entered as the top seed. Unfortunately, it seems like that may not be possible. Earlier this week, McIlroy suffered a lower back injury at home and was seen struggling to swing a club during practice.
The injury not only jeopardizes McIlroy’s chances of winning the Tour Championship but also comes with a significant financial impact. The Tour Championship winner receives a prize of $18 million as the FedEx Cup champion. If McIlroy remains in third place, he would take home $5 million. However, if he is forced to withdraw or falls down the leaderboard, his earnings could drop to as low as $500,000 for a 30th-place finish.
Although McIlroy has earned a substantial amount of money throughout his career, with over $130 million in on-course earnings and numerous endorsement deals, $18 million is still a significant sum. Currently, McIlroy is tied for fifth place at 6-under for the tournament, and it doesn’t seem likely that he will move up the leaderboard anytime soon.
According to the Source brobible.com