Justin Rose on the PGA Tour's Player Impact Program: "If it serves the fan and if it serves the game of golf, and it gives the guys [players] a much better reason to say yes to something, then it's probably a good thing for everybody"
Wednesday 21 April 2021 13:43, UK
Justin Rose believes the PGA Tour's off-course bonus fund can benefit the sport, although admitted he was unsure about how the 'Player Impact Program' would be received.
Golfweek reported Tuesday that the bonus fund, which began in January, is a $40m pool that will be distributed to the top 10 players on a list based on media exposure, social media impact, and on-course performances.
Figures from 2019 to illustrate the idea put Tiger Woods top of the standings ahead of Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka, while Rose - who started that year as world No 1 - also featured in the top 10.
"There are concepts around the world that want to focus on the best players and the best players being together more often, right?" Rose said ahead of partnering Henrik Stenson at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, live on Sky Sports.
"I think with media dollars being so astronomical these days and obviously four, five, six guys always being the ones that are being used to promote the tournament. I guess it's just a way of trying to sort of incentivise them and help them out, not that they need much helping out.
"A rising tide lifts all ships. Obviously the whole [PGA] Tour has benefited very much from a group of guys, but if you really want to think about it, one guy (Tiger Woods) for so long that it's just a way of maybe saying thank you.
"Obviously there's lots of ways that that money could also be used in different ways to support the Tour so there's going to be lots of people with different opinions. Let's just see what the reaction is."
The amount of engagement a player drives across social and digital channels will be among the metrics taken into account when distributing the bonus fund, along with the familiarity of a golfer's brand and their popularity in a Google search.
"You do want to incentivize the top players to create content," Rose added. "It's very easy for the top players to say no because it doesn't serve them.
"If you are looking at content creation... that's where it's coming down to these days. If it serves the fan and if it serves the game of golf, and it gives the guys a much better reason to say yes to something, then it's probably a good thing for everybody. Hopefully, that's the way it's intended."
Watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans throughout the week on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins with Featured Groups from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 8.30pm.
