Rory McIlroy delivered a typically classy response when asked about United States Ryder Cup players receiving payment at the 2025 Bethpage Black event.
Reports emerged this week suggesting Team USA will bank $5.08m for their efforts at the three-day showdown on Long Island.
European authorities, however, have no plans to reward those who are fortunate enough to make it onto Luke Donald’s 12-man roster. McIlroy said he’d happily pay to make the Ryder Cup, and the Northern Irishman’s comments have garnered support across the golfing world.
“I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup. The two purest forms of competition in our game right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it’s partly because of that, the purity of no money being involved,” McIlroy said.
“I don’t think any of the 24 players on either team needs that 400 grand. Every two years, there are 104 weeks and 103 weeks you can play golf and get paid.”
Now, outspoken US golf pundit Brandel Chamblee is the latest to react to the four-time major winner’s remarks.
Brandel Chamblee reacts to USA Ryder Cup payment
Taking to X on Thursday evening, Chamblee was quick to side with McIlroy and criticise those who’ve helped push the groundbreaking decision through.
“Once again, Rory hits the nail on the head,” Chamblee wrote. “It’s a sad commentary on the professional game that a few players with misdirected and undo power treat every aspect of this game, including the privilege of playing for one’s country, as transactional. They are the reason the very lifeblood of this game, which is to say those who play it recreationally, are increasingly turning away from those who play it professionally.”
The American continued: “The increasing commoditization of this game is a tough pill to swallow. I recently read a commentary on greed that went something like this: Think of Michelangelo, who in seeking to merely honor the glory of man, carved the statue of David, and wanting to highlight the capacity that humans have for compassionate suffering, carved the Pieta.
“Neither of these masterpieces were motivated by money; they were motivated by wanting to draw the human spirit upward.
“To play at the highest level, players have to rediscover the reason to pursue the highest level. And it is not for money. It is merely striving to take full advantage of one’s talents and resources to simply see how good they can become. And occasionally give back to the game by playing for one’s country. And, dare I say, for the privilege of it and not the profit of it.”
Europe play for passion, USA play for money
Donald’s European team are looking for their first win on US soil since the Miracle at Medinah 12 years ago. During the iconic showdown in Illinois, José María Olazábal’s team were playing for something greater than golf after the tragic passing of Seve Ballesteros just months before.
The Spaniard’s magic certainly played its part during the Sunday singles, where Ryder Cup history was made.
If history is anything to go by, this European team don’t need any more motivation. Now, with the payment narrative set to rumble on in the lead-up to Bethpage, Donald has the perfect us vs them narrative to spin to his players.
‘They’re playing for money; we’re playing for passion.’ It’s quite the slogan for the Englishman to advertise to his players as they look to inflict yet more misery on the USA.
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