European Ryder Cup player reacts after America make plan to pay their team at Bethpage Black in 2025

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It would appear that a seismic change is on its way when it comes to the Ryder Cup, with reports claiming that players on the American side are set to receive payment for playing for the first time ever when the two teams meet at Bethpage Black next year.

Of course, one of the images the 2023 Ryder Cup will be remembered for involved Patrick Cantlay, with European fans waving caps at the American amidst reports concerning why exactly he was not wearing one.

Cantlay denied that it was due to frustration over not getting paid to play in the event, but those who do not believe that may feel even more convinced following the news on Wednesday.

Each Team USA player is now in line to receive around $400,000 at Bethpage next year. Meanwhile, The Telegraph reports that there are no plans for Team Europe to introduce a similar policy.

European player responds as Team USA look set to start paying their Ryder Cup representatives

In fact, The Telegraph has quoted one European Ryder Cup player who believes that the Americans getting paid has felt almost inevitable for some time.

“They can do whatever they want,” the player said. “But we don’t want payments in our bank accounts, as it’ll be the thin end of the wedge and is not what the Ryder Cup is about. Let’s face it, a lot of the American players have been angling towards this for years, if not decades. If it does go ahead, then it will be interesting to see how the fans react at Bethpage, although they’ll probably announce it as just an extension of what already happens.”

An ominous sign for the future of the Ryder Cup

In some ways, it does feel right that the players involved get paid to play in the Ryder Cup. Ultimately, a lot of already wealthy people probably make a lot of money behind the scenes because of the spectacle the players and the volunteers put on. So you could understand why some players feel they deserve a slice of the pie.

However, it feels like a slippery slope. The Ryder Cup is particularly special because the players are not playing for any financial reward – something so rarely done in elite sport.

It may seem dramatic now, but perhaps this is the first step towards players, at some stage down the line, refusing to play because they are not getting paid enough.