Members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team may be paid next year for playing at Bethpage Black.
According to a report in The Telegraph, the PGA of America has a proposal that would pay each of the 12 U.S. players $400,000 for the exhibition against Europe, pending board approval.
PGA of America officials had no comment when reached by Sports Illustrated.
The issue of pay-for-play in the Ryder Cup has arose multiple times in recent decades and became a flashpoint last year during the matches in Rome, when Patrick Cantlay declined to wear a U.S. team uniform hat reportedly in protest over lack of pay. “Hatgate” became the talk of the weekend and the backdrop of an ugly U.S. loss which extended its streak of road Ryder Cup defeats to 30 years.
Previously, U.S. players received charitable gifts of $200,000 that they could allocate as they preferred, but a direct cash payment would be a first in the history of the Ryder Cup, which began in 1927. European players do not receive compensation.
Next year’s matches at Bethpage, a municipal golf facility in New York, have been highly anticipated for years and will make millions for the PGA of America. The organization’s current television rights contract pays $440 million over 15 years (through 2030) and as the host next year, the PGA of America will get the majority of other revenues. Those revenues are used to fund the entire organization, which comprises some 30,000 golf professionals in America, with individual PGA chapters receiving a payout each year.
That includes tickets, which for tournament rounds are $749.51 (including food and non-alcoholic drinks) and a Ryder Cup record which PGA of America officials have defended by saying the Ryder Cup is on par with a World Series or NBA Finals game.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Ryder Cup Players Will Be Paid Next Year at Bethpage, Per Report.
