Whoever makes the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce subsequent 12 months at Bethpage Black will obtain a complete compensation package deal of $500,000 from the PGA of America, in accordance with Rex Hoggard of the Channel.
The brand new plan, permitted by the PGA of America’s board of administrators, will enhance the quantity gamers obtain for charitable donations from $200,000 to $300,000. Contributors will even obtain an extra $200,000 as a “stipend” that doesn’t must be directed towards charity.
“Individuals take a look at the PGA as this huge group, nevertheless it’s actually 41 sections. All we’re making an attempt to do is develop the sport,” PGA president Don Rea informed Hoggard.
“The Ryder Cup is an incredible worldwide competitors, however on the finish of the day, it’s simply one of many methods the PGA helps to develop the sport. We’re simply making an attempt to do good with the cash we’ve got. The message was to develop the sport and assist charities. The gamers are our members as effectively and we deal with them similar to we do all of our members.”
The Ryder Cup has turn out to be a money cow for the PGA of America, as evidenced by the costly ticket costs for subsequent 12 months’s competitors on Lengthy Island. Costs for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday matches opened at $750 per ticket, an eye-opening determine for a lot of golf followers. But, tickets offered out in a blink, proving that the demand outweighed the price. Some fortunate ticket holders then went on to promote tickets on the secondary market, the place costs ballooned past 4 figures. Company hospitality at Bethpage Black can also be offered out, which means the PGA of America will generate loads of income on Lengthy Island subsequent 12 months.
As a result of this occasion generates a lot income for the group, some gamers have felt they deserve compensation for his or her participation. In spite of everything, the gamers make the Ryder Cup what it’s. Nevertheless, this difficulty has plagued the American facet for almost 25 years. Some have advocated for direct funds, whereas others haven’t. Even then, U.S. gamers have obtained $200,000 every from the PGA of America. This cash has straight supported their favourite charities and grassroots organizations since 1999.
Finally 12 months’s Ryder Cup in Rome, tempers flared due to ‘hat-gate.’ A European report indicated that Patrick Cantlay refused to put on a hat to protest towards the PGA of America’s lack of compensation in the direction of gamers. Cantlay has refuted that notion a number of occasions since then, however the 2023 Ryder Cup shall be greatest remembered for what occurred down the stretch on Saturday. As Cantlay completed his spherical, followers serenaded him, waving their hats in disgust whereas chanting his title and decrying the Individuals for allegedly wanting cash for taking part in. The scene turned much more memorable on the 18th inexperienced, the place Cantlay holed a 30-footer for birdie to win his match. That led his caddie, Joe LaCava, to wave his hat in celebration—a straight diss to the Europeans—however his actions got here too near the place Rory McIlroy confronted a putt to tie. The incident upset McIlroy, who needed to be held again within the car parking zone afterward.
However, in accordance with Hoggard, “no gamers requested to be compensated” for collaborating, and the PGA of America didn’t seek the advice of any participant about this variation. This announcement comes per week after a Sports activities Illustrated report outlined a letter from former U.S. Ryder Cup captains to the PGA of America. That letter argued towards gamers receiving extra compensation and advocated for the competitors’s ardour.
However, the Europeans have by no means obtained any funds from the DP World Tour, which facilitates the Ryder Cup from the European facet. As an alternative, the income generated helps the circuit previously generally known as the European Tour, which has struggled in current many years in comparison with the PGA Tour.
That has by no means bothered the European gamers, although.
“I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup,” McIlroy informed BBC Sport final month.
“The 2 purest types of competitors in our recreation proper now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it’s partly due to that—the purity of no cash being concerned.”
The state {of professional} golf appears to revolve round cash, cash, and extra money. The identical can now be mentioned for the Ryder Cup, which is meant to revolve round ardour, pageantry, and rivalry. But, this awkward discrepancy between the U.S. and European groups solely provides to the intrigue, rising the stress as we method subsequent 12 months’s Ryder Cup.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By. Observe him on X @jack_milko.