In among all the hat-waving, taunting and Rory McIlroy’s royal rumble with Joe LaCava at last year’s Ryder Cup, there was a serious point raised: should the players be paid?
The argument in favour of doing so is pretty straightforward. The Ryder Cup has become a financial juggernaut and the players involved are asked to give a lot to it. They are the ‘stars’ (well, some of them anyway – Cantlay would probably get away in a police line-up of one). Ergo, they deserve a cut of the profits.
It is a valid viewpoint, but surely misguided. The truth is the Ryder Cup is bigger than any player. It is special precisely because players are not paid to be there. They play because, like in the Olympics, it is the biggest honour in golf to be asked to represent your country or continent.
Money is irrelevant. The players are all rich enough, and likely to become richer still off the back of the Ryder Cup, simply because their profiles are raised. The Ryder Cup can make entire careers, just ask ‘The Postman’ Ian Poulter.
In any case, Ryder Cup players are compensated in different ways. The PGA of America gives each US player $200,000, half of which they can donate to a charity of their choice, the other half of which goes to the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, and the PGA Junior League.
That is on top of all the team stash, the stipends, the complimentary tickets for friends and family, the gifts and so on. In 2018, Thomas Bjorn bought every member of his side a personalised Rolex when Europe won the competition.
Whatever your view, there is probably one thing on which we can all agree. At a time when inflation is rampant, when people are struggling to pay their household bills, the sight of multi-millionaires demanding yet more money to play in an event most fans would play in for free, is grotesque.
The game is awash with money at the moment and the players, whether on LIV or on the PGA Tour with its ‘Player Impact Program’, have never had it so good.
Like the ongoing struggle between players and the PGA of America over the rebel LIV series, which has blown a hole in the cosy status quo, all this grasping for more money is an ugly look.
And here is another point: If the players do not like it, no one is forcing them to play.
A version of Tom Cary’s comment was first published in 2023
