Four-time major champion slams 'disgraceful' decision to pay American Ryder Cup stars

Dame Laura Davies is the latest prima sanction successful play to talk retired against the PGA of America's determination to wage members of Keegan Bradley's 12-man Ryder Cup squad astatine Bethpage Black successful 2025

Dame Laura Davies has blasted the PGA of America's determination to pay its players for the Ryder Cup.

Members of the 12-man American squad captained by Keegan Bradley astatine Bethpage Black adjacent September will person an adjacent stock of a $6million (£4.7m) pot, equating to $400,000 (£315,000) each. European players will proceed to spell unpaid for the event.

Players person ne'er been paid successful the near-100-year past of the Ryder Cup, though American players, successful particular, have lobbied for that to alteration successful caller years. Tiger Woods sparked the statement 25 years ago, calling for players to person a portion of the hugely lucrative Ryder Cup pastry and insisting helium would donate his stock to charity.

The substance came to a caput astatine the 2023 Ryder Cup successful Rome, erstwhile a bombshell report emerged connected the 2nd time of play that Team USA prima Patrick Cantlay refused to deterioration a squad chapeau successful protest of not being paid. He denied the determination not to deterioration a chapeau was a signifier of protest, though it soon became wide helium was successful favour of Ryder Cup players being compensated.

News of American players being paid for adjacent year's lawsuit was archetypal reported by The Telegraph, and European stars Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy person some questioned the move. The second said helium would wage for the privilege of playing successful the prestigious lawsuit – which was a uncommon illustration of the athletics successful its purest signifier amid an ongoing influx of currency from some LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

His views person been echoed by Dame Laura, a four-time large champion and pundit for Sky Sports. She made her feelings abundantly wide connected the broadcast of the DP World Tour Championship connected Friday.

"I'm close with what Rory has conscionable said," she told viewers. "Anyone that wants to beryllium paid, I deliberation it's a spot disgraceful, really. If you're a Ryder Cup player, you've earned a batch of wealth to get into the team, truthful to privation more, for immoderate reasons their reasons are...

"Maybe if the ones that aren't that bothered get the wealth and springiness it to their foundations, which would beryllium lovely, obviously. But to spell connected astir wealth to get into a Ryder Cup, I conscionable don't recognize it.

"I'm definite it's not each the players, it is astir apt conscionable a fewer that privation the wealth for their ain reasons. It won't beryllium due to the fact that they request the money, it volition beryllium due to the fact that they consciousness the players should beryllium paid. I'm with Rory. I would person loved to person played different Solheim Cup. It's conscionable the biggest honour you volition ever person successful your career."

Seven-time Ryder Cup seasoned McIlroy spoke retired against the PGA of America's decision aft his opening circular successful Dubai connected Thursday. "I personally would wage for the privilege to play connected the Ryder Cup," helium said. "The 2 purest forms of contention successful our crippled close present are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it's partially due to the fact that of that, the purity of nary wealth being involved.

"I don't deliberation immoderate of the 24 players connected either squad needs that 400 grand. Every 2 years, determination are 104 weeks and 103 weeks you tin play play and get paid."

Former Open champion Lowry, who has played successful the past 2 Ryder Cups, told the Irish Independent: "I don’t truly attraction whether I did (get paid) oregon not, to beryllium honest. You know, the Ryder Cup is simply a privilege, and it’s what I enactment for.

“It’s what I’ve worked for for the past ten, 15 years, to beryllium capable to play Ryder Cups, and I’ve been fortunate to bash 2 of them and person large experiences astatine them and physique my marque playing Ryder Cups. I emotion the tournament, and I conscionable privation to beryllium involved. I don't attraction whether I get paid oregon not.”