American players are reportedly set to be paid at the Ryder Cup for the first time in the event’s 97-year history.
For almost a century, the biennial tournament has prided itself on passion and legacy, rather than financial reward.
Team USA have spent decades squabbling over money, dating back to complaints from Tiger Woods and David Duval in 1999.
It is an age-old row which boiled over in 2023 as the Americans were thrashed in Rome.
Reports emerged that Patrick Cantlay was refusing to wear a Team USA hat in protest at the lack of compensation for players.
Fans mocked the American over his stance, waving their caps and chanting ‘hats off for your bank account’.
It was a catalyst for the unsavoury scenes which followed Cantlay and Wyndham Clark’s victory over Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick on day two.
A furious McIlroy confronted the Americans over the wild celebrations of caddie Joe LaCava in a car park.
Now, according to the Telegraph, Cantlay is set to have the last laugh – with the PGA of America expected to break a near-100-year tradition.
It is claimed American organisers are drawing up proposals to pay $400,000 (£315,000) directly to each of the 12 players.
As things stand, there are no plans for European golfers to be paid, and one member of Luke Donald’s 2023 outfit told the Telegraph: “They can do whatever they want.
“But we don’t want payments in our bank accounts, as it’ll be the thin end of the wedge and is not what the Ryder Cup is about.
“Let’s face it, a lot of the American players have been angling towards this for years, if not decades.
“If it does go ahead, then it will be interesting to see how the fans react at Bethpage, although they’ll probably announce it as just an extension of what already happens.”
Cantlay was not the only American to complain about money in 2023, as Xander Schauffele’s father Stefan hit out at the PGA of America over a supposed lack of transparency.
He urged the authorities ‘to have the players share in that profit instead of being so damned intransparent about it’.
Previously, the PGA of America has put aside $200,000 (£158,000) in appearance fees for each player, which is automatically donated: half to charities and half to junior golf schemes.
The DP World Tour, who organise the European side of things, operate a similar system – with millions given to good causes in golf.
It is likely players will continue to donate the money, but the decision will be theirs, something golf icon Woods was calling for 25 years ago.
“I would like to see us receive whatever the amount is – 200, 300, 400, 500,000 dollars, whatever it is – and I think we should be able to keep the money and do whatever we see fit,” Woods said.
“Personally, I would donate all of it to charity. But I think it’s up to the other person’s discretion what they would do with it.
“With all the money that’s being made, I think that we should have a say in where it goes.”
Some will feel that, given the sheer scale of the Ryder Cup and the players’ role at the centre of it, Cantlay and co. are right to ask for a slice of the pie.
But it feeds into a narrative that Europe care more, allowing them to become greater than the sum of their parts, while star-studded American squads fall apart.
It will also lead to questions over whether this is why fans are being charged £590 for the cheapest day ticket at the 2025 event in New York.
Speaking on the issue in 2023, European captain Donald said: “It’s one week where you play for more than yourself, not about money or points.
“It’s about coming together as a team and the fans feed off that – it’s all passion.
“I don’t think we should ever get paid.”
