It really does feel as if the 2025 Ryder Cup has attracted a level of anticipation like no other, as USA look to regain the trophy in front of potentially the most passionate crowd the event has ever seen.
The Ryder Cup does not need any subplots to create drama. But the 2025 event is already shaping up to be one full of storylines.
Team USA have seemingly taken a huge gamble by appointing Keegan Bradley as their captain. Meanwhile, Luke Donald is looking to become the second European captain after Tony Jacklin to win back to back stagings of the event.
And of course, the biggest controversy heading into the tournament concerns the PGA of America’s decision to pay their players. Each member of Team USA will receive $500,000, with $300,000 going to charity with a further $200,000 being paid as a stipend.
Europe backed to win the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage
It is certainly a potential kick in the teeth for the fans who will pay more than $700 to attend each day at Bethpage. And it seems that there is a concern that the decision to financially reward players could backfire at some stage.
Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard suggested that he can see Europe retaining the trophy – particularly as he is not sure that the atmosphere is going to be entirely favourable to the home side.
“I’m going to go with the Europeans for reasons that we have talked about a lot. You look at that US Presidents Cup team last year, that is a dominant group. That seems to me the core of a team that could win a lot of different matches, both Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. But this is entirely different, and Luke Donald as he proved in Rome, just a few years ago, is a genius at finding ways to motivate his team,” he said.
“When we go back and revisit all those little things that Luke did to get his team to play the way they did in Rome, it’s a masterclass in how to motivate people, how to coach, how to captain, whatever the case may be. And now, he’s got the built-in idea that not only can he find ways to motivate them, he doesn’t have to go far because the US are getting paid. And his players aren’t getting paid and he’s going to play that up like it’s nobody’s business. He’s going to make sure that the world knows that, ‘my guys are playing for pride. They do it because they’re greedy. Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean greedy, because they want to get paid’. That’s what he meant to say. He’s going to play this to the hilt. It’s going to be so much fun.
“I predict this as well. Forget about the Europeans winning, this is the prediction you’re going to circle back around, make sure you mark this on the timestamp, the Americans will be booed at some point during those matches, not necessarily because of their play, but because the New Yorkers won’t like the fact that not only are you getting paid, but I’m paying $750 for this ticket for you to be paid. It’s not going to go well for them.”
What Keegan Bradley is planning to do with his $500,000 Ryder Cup payment
It does appear that the USA team are already working on limiting the damage from the news that they are set to be paid. Hoggard previously noted that Bradley plans to give all the money he will receive to charity.
Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele also made a similar statement ahead of the Sentry, and hit out at the criticism they have received – suggesting that a positive gesture has been hijacked.
While each player will deserve praise if all of the money does indeed go to charity, the PGA of America have arguably left themselves open to criticism by confirming that each player will theoretically able to keep nearly half of the money.
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