Tiger Woods has echoed the sentiments of Rory McIlroy regarding the issue of Ryder Cup salaries.
The golfing community was divided following Patrick Cantlay’s actions at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where he refused to don the American team cap. This was believed to be a protest against the lack of remuneration players receive for participating in the esteemed tournament. Now, it appears that Keegan Bradley’s team for the 2025 edition is set to share a pot of $4.8million from the PGA of America.
This has sparked controversy, with traditionalists arguing that financial incentives should not be the driving force for players competing in the historic cup. This view is also held by some players, including McIlroy, who discussed the upcoming pay check for American players.
The five-time Ryder Cup champion stated: “I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup, The two purest forms of competition in our game right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it’s partly because of that, the purity of no money being involved.”
McIlroy further added: “I don’t think any of the 24 players on either team needs that 400 grand. Every two years, there are 104 weeks and 103 weeks you can play golf and get paid.”
Woods has supported his PGA Tour colleague’s viewpoint, expressing his clear stance on Team USA’s players receiving monetary rewards. “I hope they get $5 million each and donate it all to charity,” said Woods.
Woods has made it crystal clear his primary concern was never pecuniary gain but rather the philanthropic aspect of golf. Woods said: “We didn’t want to get paid.
“We wanted to give more money to charity. And then the media spun it around and said we wanted to get paid. It’s never really been about getting paid, it’s about allocating funds to help our sport.”
Reflecting on statements he made back in 1999, which were, according to him, misinterpreted, Woods lamented the tournament’s approach towards its players: “It’s completely unfair, the way it is now,” he commented. “I played in one and didn’t enjoy it at all. It’s like ‘pros on parade.’ They take us to a bunch of functions that raise money, yet everybody is compensated except us. Let’s take some of that money and spread it around.”
The contentious issue of remunerating US players has struck a nerve amongst golf enthusiasts. Last year, Patrick Cantlay felt the sting of European fans’ teasing during an event in Rome, with spectators mockingly tipping their hats in response to his views.
Cantlay’s stance was rooted in the 2023 Ryder Cup’s revenue discussion, as the event boasted a remarkable $11.8m in profit from its substantial $136.6m turnover. Concurrently, Rory McIlroy acknowledged the validity of the conversation given the hefty financial success of the Cup but cautioned that player payments could undermine the spirit of the competition.
“I think we would all welcome money if it didn’t change the dynamic but the money really would change the dynamic,” opined McIlroy. “That’s why I think everyone is like, let’s not do that.”