Rory McIlroy's decision to pull out of the RBC Heritage could cost him a cool $3 million with reports suggesting the PGA Tour will dock him a quarter of his Player Impact Program (PIP) money.

A ninth attempt to complete the career Grand Slam came crashing down at Augusta National last week when McIlroy missed the cut.

It was a bitter blow for the Northern Irishman having gone into the first Major of the season in great form and looking more focused than ever on slipping on that Green Jacket.

After missing the cut, though, the four-time Major champion then pulled out of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links - which is one of the PGA Tour's new designated events.

Players are only allowed to miss one of these new elevated events, and after McIlroy also skipped the Sentry Tournament of Champions it meant he'd breached the rule he in part had helped implement.

The Golf Channel reported on Wednesday that missing the event in South Carolina would result in McIlroy forfeiting some of his PIP money, and now Sports Illustrated says that it will be a big chunk with $3m reportedly being taken off him.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods were part of the decision-making process that led to more elite events, most with $20m prize purses, being introduced this season on the PGA Tour.

The PIP bonus pot is tied in some part to completing the criteria for this season, which includes appearing at every designated event apart from one they are able to skip.

McIlroy earned $12m for finishing second to Woods in the 2022 PIP standings, but having been paid $9m of that in January, Jay Monahan has the discretion to withhold part of the remaining cash. 

Many feel having a designated event the week after The Masters made little sense, but champion Jon Rahm is teeing it up among all the other big guns, and it now seems that McIlroy will have to pay for his absence.