Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Along with national pride, it appears members of the United States' 2025 Ryder Cup team will have another incentive when teeing off against their European counterparts at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
Lots of zeros.
A vote by the PGA of America will ultimately determine whether, and how much, US players are paid for playing in the Ryder Cup.
US players competing at the event could receive roughly $US400,000 (NZ$696,000) apiece according to a report.
The pay structure, according to The Telegraph, would be similar to that of the Presidents Cup in September -- a stipend as opposed to a contribution made to the charity of each golfer's choice.
However, there are two primary differences between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, according to The Telegraph.
First, the amount. The Presidents Cup stipend was $US250,000.
Second, who is getting paid. While players and captains for both teams were paid at the Presidents Cup in Montreal, the European Ryder Cup golfers will not get paid -- instead opting to play for what European captain Luke Donald called "passion" for golf and country.
"It's one week where you play for more than yourself," Donald told The Telegraph.
"It's ... not about money or points, it's about coming together as a team and the fans feed off that -- it's all passion. I don't think we should ever get paid."
Rory McIlroy was asked this week about the idea of compensation for participation in the Ryder Cup, and scoffed at the notion of requiring cash to entice players to represent their side of the international competition.
McIlroy and the European team will not be directly tied to the PGA of America payment vote.
The DP World Tour represents the European players on Ryder Cup matters.
"I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup," McIlroy said in a BBC Sport interview. "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 he understands the "other side of it" because of the amount of money made on the event. He said Donald huddled players to discuss their stance after learning the direction American golfers were leaning. But McIlroy said the consensus for Team Europe was to donate the sum to the DP World Tour for other purposes.
"That US$5 million would be better off spent elsewhere on the DP World Tour to support other events or even to support The Challenge Tour," McIlroy said.
"I think we would all welcome money if it didn't change the dynamic, but the money really would change the dynamic. That's why I think everyone is like -- let's not do that."
Shane Lowry celebrates during the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. Photo: ©INPHO/Matteo Ciambelli
Shane Lowry said he worked toward getting a chance to play in the Ryder Cup and involvement was more than enough compensation.
"I love the tournament, and I just want to be involved. I don't care whether I get paid or not," he told the Irish Independent.
Talks of Americans getting paid for the Ryder Cup have been brewing for decades. In 1999 at Brookline, Mass. (one of the most famous Ryder Cup weekends in the event's history), golfers including Tiger Woods voiced their opinions on players not being paid despite the event raking in several million dollars.
"I would like to see us receive whatever the amount is, whether it's $US200,000, $US300,000, $US400,000, $US500,000 and I think we should be able to keep the money and do whatever we see fit," Woods told The Washington Post in 1999. "I personally would donate all of it to charity. With all the money that's being made, we should have a say in where it goes."
The charitable donations began being made that same year.
Pay-for-play at the Ryder Cup became a hot-button topic during last year's competition near Rome after American Patrick Cantlay did not wear a hat during Saturday's play. Multiple reports stated he did not wear the hat as a protest for players not being paid. Cantlay denied that being the reason, instead saying the hat just did not fit.
Said one anonymous European player to The Telegraph: "(The Americans) can do whatever they want. 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."
The 2025 Ryder Cup is scheduled to take place 23-28 September.
The Americans hold a 27-14 advantage all time in the event, though the Europeans have won five of the last seven contests, including a 16 1/2-11 1/2 win at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy in 2023.
The US team will be captained by Keegan Bradley in 2025.
-Reuters
