The "top performers on the PGA Tour" now has a whole new meaning.
As reported by Golfweek on Tuesday, the Tour’s new Player Impact Program will identify the 10 biggest needle-movers in the sport and compensate them through a $40 million bonus pool, with the player who brings the most added value through fan and sponsor engagement netting an extra $8 million.
According to the report, an individual’s value will be based not just on on-course performance but rather an Impact Score, which will be determined using six metrics: a player’s position on the FedExCup points list; a player’s popularity in Google Search; a player’s Nielsen Brand Exposure rating; a player’s Q Rating (appeal); a player’s MVP Index rating (engagement on social and digital channels); and a player’s Meltwater Mentions (frequency he generates coverage across media platforms).