Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from this week's RBC Heritage after missing the cut at the Masters.
The Holywood golfer is a late withdrawal from the $20 million tournament which has become one of the PGA Tour's big-money designated events.
No reason has been offered for his withdrawal and is the second of the designated events he has missed this season after deciding against playing in January's Tournament of Champions.
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PGA Tour players are allowed to miss one of the events or risk missing out on Player Impact Program (PIP) Award money, which earned McIlroy $12 million last season.
Given that McIlroy was one of the leading voices behind the tour's new schedule, it seems significant that the 33-year-old has chosen to miss another designated event.
Although the fact that Tiger Woods, who only played a handful of events in recent seasons, topped the awards list in 2021 and 2022 suggests that the PGA Tour are prepared to soften their rules for their biggest stars.
McIlroy's reason for missing this week's event in South Carolina is likely due to his disappointment over his performance at Augusta.
He was one of the favourites heading into the Masters, as he looked to complete a career grand slam of the major championships.
But rounds of 72 and 77 saw him miss the cut by two strokes and extend his wait for a fifth major championship.
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