4-time Major winner calls Ryder Cup players 'disgraceful' amid $400K payment
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The Ryder Cup is considered one of the, if not the, most prestigious event in the sport of golf. It pits the best players in the world against each other in a team format, with the best Americans squaring off against the best Europe has to offer.
The event goes back nearly 100 years. There is a lot of pride and passion that goes into it. But never before was money an equation. That is reportedly about to change. The PGA of America is nearing a deal that would pay members of Team USA $400,000 each for their participation in the Ryder Cup, according to The Telegraph’s James Corrigan.
A lot of players have spoken out against this notion, including Rory McIlroy. But even former players find it somewhat appalling.
4x major champion Laura Davies sounds off on the possibility of U.S. players getting paid for playing in the Ryder Cup: "It's a bit disgraceful" + "I don't understand it."
Do you agree with Laura?
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) November 15, 2024
Upon hearing the news, four-time LPGA major champion Laura Davies did not pull any punches.
“Anyone that wants to be paid, I think it’s a bit disgraceful, really,” Davies said to Sky Sports. If you are a Ryder Cup player, you have earned a lot of money to get onto the team. So, to want more, for whatever their reasons are… maybe the ones that aren’t that bothered will give it to their foundations and such, which would be lovely.”
“But to go on about money to get into a Ryder Cup, I just don’t understand it. I am sure it’s not all of the players, probably just a few that want the money, for their own reasons. [But] it won’t be because they need the money. It will be because they feel the players should be paid. I’m with Rory.”
The LPGA legend did a great job articulating the exact situation.
Team USA Ryder Cup members’ greed is showing
Indeed, it does not appear as though everyone from Team USA was clamoring for money. During the 2023 iteration of the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club in Italy, Patrick Cantlay allegedly refused to wear a Team USA hat in protest of not being paid. Xander Schauffe’s father has been very outspoken about players needing to be paid. Some believe Brooks Koepka earning a bonus from LIV Golf for making the team, created further incentive for Americans to want compensation.
But many of the players likely are indifferent, or even agree with McIlroy.
McIlroy went so far to say that he would actually pay to play in the Ryder Cup. This event means that much to him. As Davies noted, none of these players need the money. The teams are not filled with guys ranked 112th in the world, scraping by tournament to tournament. They are the best players in the world making millions of dollars.
There has been no public discourse regarding Europeans being paid to play in the Ryder Cup. Leave that to capitalist-minded Americans.
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