Golfers from the US Ryder Cup team agree to a deal that will see them each paid $400,000 in the biennial competition against Europe.
There has been a concerted move by America’s stars to break with the free-to-play tradition, with that unrest said to be at the heart of Patrick Cantlay’s refusal to wear a Team USA hat in Rome last year.
According to the TelegraphThe proposal is expected to be ratified in time for the 2025 showdown in New York, although there are no plans for their European counterparts to follow suit.
The PGA of America, which oversees the US team, declined to comment when contacted by Mail Sport, but it is understood any decision will have to wait until a new CEO is appointed at the body, with Seth Waugh still must be replaced. leaves post in June.
The issue has proven to be a thorny issue for decades, with Tiger Woods and David Duval previously calling for the right to share in the event’s profits.
Patrick Cantlay came under fire during the Ryder Cup last year for not wearing a Team USA hat
Rory McIlroy collided with Cantlay’s caddy in a parking lot during last year’s event
Cantlay’s stance in Rome was widely interpreted as a revival of that dispute, with calls subsequently echoed by Stefan Schauffele, the father of his teammate and two-time champion Xander.
Under the current U.S. system, the PGA of America hands out $200,000 per player, with half allocated to charities of each golfer’s choice and the other half going to golf programs.
Woods has previously suggested he would give his share of the pie to charity, but advocated the view that they should be paid directly and that the choice should be up to the individual.
The only players confirmed to play at next year’s Ryder Cup are the captains: American Keegan Bradley and Englishman Luke Donald.
Members of Donald’s team told The Telegraph that the Europeans will only represent their continent out of ‘passion’.
Funding for the European team, if it ever finds favor, would likely come not from the PGA, but from the DP World Tour.
The home side have won the last five Ryder Cups, dating back to the European triumph at the 2014 edition.
Should America fail to continue this trend in September, Team USA’s motives for participating will be seriously questioned.