After a report that American Ryder Cuppers would receive an increased payment for their services to the Ryder Cup — and the month of angst that’s followed — the PGA of America has finally spoken: It’s true.
The governing body and partial owner of the Ryder Cup announced Monday that the amount given to each American player (as well as captain Keegan Bradley) will increase from its previous level. While formerly each player receiver $200,000 to be given to charities, they’ll now get up to $500,000 total — $300,000 of which will go to charities. The remaining $200,000 will be a stipend each player can do with as they please. Players have played in the Cup for decades without direct payment, but that has now changed.
“The players and captains, past and present, are responsible for the Ryder Cup becoming the most special competition in golf and one of the most in-demand events on the international sports scene,” the PGA’s statement read. It also stated that no player asked to be compensated, but reminded viewers the figure had gone unchanged since it was introduced in 1999.
The past month has seen this topic inspire high emotion from both sides of the Ryder Cup aisle. It mostly began Nov. 13, when The Telegraph reported American players would likely be receiving a $400,000 stipend to do with as they pleased. The PGA refused to comment on that report, but the European team didn’t hold back.
A number of Team Europe stalwarts — Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry — were playing in the Middle East on the DP World Tour when the report dropped, speaking separately but similarly. The message: We love the Ryder Cup so much, we’d pay to play in it. Tiger Woods offered a very literal response, saying, “If the Europeans want to pay to play in the Ryder Cup, that’s their decision.”
Woods also added — during a press conference two weeks ago — that players have been angling for more funds to be distributed to charity for years. Woods blamed the media for making it seem like players were asking to be paid themselves, eventually saying he hoped the charitable gifts would reach seven figures per player.
And while the charitable funds will increase by 50%, the real newsmaker is the stipend. In the past, many players have suggested that even if the funds are not required to go to charity, the players likely will donate the money regardless. Captain Bradley confirmed to the Associated Press that the entirety of his $500,000 will go to charity.
It has made December a surprisingly interesting Ryder Cup month, while we are still nine months away from the teams being finalized for Bethpage Black. The discourse around compensation has escalated on both sides of the Atlantic, on an issue that Bradley admitted he was “shocked” to see information leaking. Just last week, Sports Illustrated reported that a dozen former American captains penned a letter to the PGA of America decrying the idea of any money going to players directly.
In the wake of the report, the Telegraph also reported that Team Europe would not be changing its payment structure in any way, ensuring this topic will continue to be a point of contention between the two sides moving forward.
