Money. The one subject the US Ryder Cup team would rather is not discussed this week and the theme that Europe are more than happy to promote. As soon as it was confirmed the US team members would be paid $500,000 a head to play at Bethpage – $300,000 must be given to charity, the rest is a stipend – half of Luke Donald’s team talk was written. Europe play for their cause, their tour, their big picture. The US? Now quite easily portrayed as obsessed with dollar signs. Twelve players, $2.4m, zero caveats.
Noble Europeans doing it for love, ghastly Septics being paid!
Just out of interest, where does the money not paid to the golfers actually go?
Noble Europeans doing it for love
They’re all greedy bastards, not that that’s a crime, as evidenced by the Team Europe representation in the PGA Tour Player Impact Payment scheme (a blatant bribe to prevent any more big names jumping ship for the even bigger rewards of the LIV). McIlroy alone has pocketed $35m just for showing up on the US tour irrespective of his performances.
Europe play for their cause, their tour, their big picture.
Possibly true for one week every two years. The other 99% of the time it’s all about the Benjamins.
Tim’s work ethic impresses me. Seven days a week by 0800 Greenwich he posts five times or more, and another post at Substack. We must thank Tattie and The Guardian for the fertile inspiration they provide.
Given that players benefit financially to an enormous extent from playing in this event it’s not like the Euros are being totally altruistic. Many of them have bonus clauses in their endorsement contracts for doing so.
And I find it amusing that many of those griping about the US players getting paid (kinda, sorta, most of it goes to charity, all of it in some cases) are themselves getting paid to cover it.
Sportscaster getting paid for covering the Ryder Cup -” I can’t believe they want money for doing their jobs”.
And it’s not like the money the players receive would have gone to orphans. The PGA of America is a not-for-profit group but it’s more like a trade union than a charity. And it rakes in fortunes from the Ryder Cup.