Whether you think that the US Ryder Cup team are entitled to be paid to feature in the event or not, you cannot deny that the optics really do not look good for the PGA of America.
The debate over being paid to play in the Ryder Cup seemed to reach another level after all of the controversy which came in Rome in 2023. Reports suggested that Patrick Cantlay was not wearing a hat in protest at not being paid to play in the event.
Cantlay dismissed the rumours. However, there will be a change of policy for 2025, with the American team to now receive $500,000 each for featuring at Bethpage Black. The PGA of America have confirmed that $300,000 will go to a charity of the player’s choice, while they will be free to do what they like with the rest.
The organisation confirmed that the players had not asked to be paid. Nevertheless, it is hard not to feel that it is a massive own goal which is going to inspire the Europeans ahead of what should have been a truly daunting task in New York.
What PGA of America official asked as Ryder Cup payment announcement loomed
And it does appear that the PGA of America are somewhat concerned about how the decision looks. Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard shared what he had been asked as the announcement loomed.
“As I was reporting this story over the course of the weekend, I had one official from the PGA of America ask me, ‘are we going to be talking about this in May and April, and as we get into the summer?’ And I said, ‘no, we’re not going to be talking about it in May and April. When we get closer to the Ryder Cup however, we aren’t going to start the conversation’, I go, ‘you know better than I do that Luke Donald and the rest of the Europeans are going to start this conversation’,” he said.
“Because he already has billboards made up that we play for pride, they play for pay. And they’re just going to exploit this, they’re going to weaponise this, and it’s not the last we’re going to talk about it. And it certainly does not cast the US in a favourable light on this front.
“Thankfully, it’s a home game this year. It shouldn’t be that much of an impact. Can you imagine if it was overseas, if this happened four years from now and we were in Ireland? They would get destroyed.”
An unforced error
It just seems to be a problem that the PGA of America did not need to create – if the players did indeed make no attempt to push for payment. As Hoggard suggests, it is almost too easy for the Europeans to capitalise on the decision and use it to their advantage.
Ultimately, $200,000 is not going to make any difference to someone like Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele given the amounts they make most weeks.
So it is completely tone-deaf for the PGA of America to make this call – while also charging the fans so much just to attend.
It is surprising that they seemingly needed some indication of how big a story this will prove to be in the months leading up to the event.
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