Ryder Cup US team being paid as golfers brought 'into the present day'

European captain Luke Donald suggested that New York fans might criticize the U.S. team if they perform poorly while being paid.
The previous compensation for U.S. players was $200,000, which was entirely designated for charitable donations.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — United States captain Keegan Bradley calls it bringing the Ryder Cup “into the present day.”

What that means is the U.S. players and captains will be paid for representing their country at Bethpage Black this week, a decision the PGA of America, the governing body of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, announced late in 2024. Each golfer will receive $500,000, of which $300,000 must be donated to charity.

“The PGA of America came to me, they wanted to bring the Ryder Cup into the present day,” Bradley, the Palm Beach Gardens resident, said Sept. 22. “The charity dollars hadn’t changed since 1999 and they asked me to sort of shepherd their way into making it into 2025.”

While most, if not all, are planning to donate the full amount to charity, that did not stop European captain Luke Donald from speculating how this issue could backfire on the team.

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Donald, who lives in Jupiter, believes fans could turn on the team if things do not go well at Bethpage Black.

“That could happen,” Donald told British media Sept. 22. “We all know how high the ticket prices are, and it’s going to be an expensive trip out for a family of four. If the U.S. players are getting paid a stipend, or whatever it is, and they aren’t performing, the New Yorkers could make them know about it.”

The Ryder Cup has been a massive moneymaker for the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe, generating at least $90 million in revenue every two years. The Europeans never have been paid and Donald said he reached out to all 12 members of the European team from 2023 to see how they felt about the PGA of America’s decision.

“Everyone was like: ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money for that event,’ ” Donald said.

U.S. players planning to donate Ryder Cup paycheck to charities

There are no reports of any Americans asking to be paid. Patrick Cantlay called reports he did not wear a cap during the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome as a form of protest against players not being paid “the furthest thing from the truth.”

Cantlay, the Jupiter resident, was asked again this week about the controversy.

“Like I’ve said a million times, the hat didn’t fit (two years ago), and this year we worked with them to make sure we had one, and we got one,” he said. “So we’re good.”

In the past, the PGA of America awarded each player $200,000, all of it required to be directed toward the charity of his choice.

All this recent decision means is more charities will be receiving larger checks.

“That’s my plan,” Jupiter’s Xander Schauffele said when asked if he will donate his check. “There’s a lot of pride that comes into playing in one of these, and yes, we’re happy to get paid for this, and yes, I plan on donating it. It’s something that selfishly will make me feel good about what I do.”

Cantlay is donating his money to First Responders Children’s Foundation, SCPGA Jr. Tour, St. Jude and Folds of Honor.

Scottie Scheffler’s money is going to the local charities he and his wife, Meredith, support.

“We have something planned for the money that we’ll be receiving,” Scheffler said. “I think it’s a really cool thing that the PGA of America has empowered us to do. I have a deep passion for the city of Dallas, I have a deep passion for the organizations that we support at home, and I’m excited to be able to take this money and be able to do some good in our local community.”

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

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