Ryder Cup Pay-For-Play Becomes Official, Now What Happens?
The PGA of America claims in statement that players did not ask for increased charitable contribution or a first-ever $200,000 stipend. How will this impact home course advantage at Bethpage?
A competitive dynamic like no other became official on Monday.
The PGA of America announced that its board approved $500,000 contributions to U.S. Ryder Cup players beginning at Bethpage’s 2025 matches.
The PGA statement claimed that “while no players asked to be compensated, the PGA of America Board of Directors has voted to increase the allocation to the members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team from $200,000 to be directed to charities – a figure unchanged since 1999 – to $500,000, with $300,000 of that to be directed to the charity or charities of the players’ choice. The balance is a stipend.”
While I’m sure some PGA of America poker face types will argue no player put a demand in writing, multiple witnesses reported a 2023 Ryder Cup exchange where Patrick Cantlay griped about pay.
“No hat?” NBC’s Steve Sands was heard asking Cantlay after the golfer emerged onto Marco Simone’s first tee.
“I’ll wear a hat when I’m paid to be here like he is,” Cantlay replied and later denied when asked about Michael Bamberger’s report.
Cantlay had motioned toward the PGA of America’s senior director of PR, Julius Mason.
Regardless of who said or demanded what, overwhelming evidence suggests Cantlay and Xander Schauffele held strong views about their free time and others profiting off their participation—as if the matches could not carry on without them. The duo passed on a team scouting trip and Stefan Schauffele spoke to multiple reporters about issues that included Netflix team access to its Full Swing docudrama. His son’s status on the team was even reportedly in jeopardy over the dispute. And last week, Cantlay lazily suggested the talk of player pay was a “media narrative.”
We’ll likely never know how the PGA Tour and PGA of America interacted on the topic. But the Tour recently gave all players in the 2024 Presidents Cup a $250,000 stipend with an eye on a similar check for the Ryder Cup (on top of the Tour raking in a nice chunk of the domestic Ryder Cup profits). Also, the current PGA of America president holds a seat on the PGA Tour policy board, which is currently occupied by Cantlay, among others. This would make it pretty easy to pass along messages about pay of the Sicilian or passive-aggressive varieties.
The pay talk is all quite tedious except for the wild, weird, and once-unimaginable possibility of unlocking layered dynamics when the matches begin on Friday, September 26, 2025.
The European team has already said they play for love for the EU, Seve, $1775 baby cashmere quarter zips, and all things spirited match play. The home U.S. squad will be turn up to collect a stipend and $300k to their foundations. The team dichotomy will play out in front of crowds paying the highest retail and “secondary” market prices in golf history while battling over the “people’s course.” On Long Island. Where alcohol sales will start at uncivilized hours to boost a bottom line that now includes paying players.
Plenty of fans will still root for the red, white, and blue. However, as early exit polling in The Quad’s 2024 survey shows, quite a few will be cheering for the team playing for the privilege of competing.
These wise old former cart drivers recognize the stakes surrounding Ryder Cup pay on and off the course. They know Samuel Ryder’s event grew into something special because money was not changing hands. And the ex-Cup vets generally live outside the bubbly grill rooms of Bear’s Club and Medalist, meaning they understand that professional golfers aren’t exactly lighting up Q rating charts or setting viewership records. And, having been through a few matches, these former Captains are aware of how the next host venue’s grizzled crowds are likely to produce catcalls along the lines of, “We’re paying you to hit shots like that?” Or much worse.
These former Captains also played a huge role in building the contest now likely to be forever altered with pay-for-play that came after a player protest spilled into the competition. So it was not surprising to see the PGA of America end its statement by saluting all who came before the current crop.
“We are grateful to the many players and captains through the years who have so passionately represented our country and look forward to a memorable 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.”
Oh, it’ll be memorable. In ways few could have imagined.