United States captain Keegan Bradley has defended the decision to increase player payments for this week’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Since 1999, each US player has received $200,000, split between a charity of their choice and PGA of America youth golf and education programmes.
This year, that figure has been raised to $500,000, with at least $300,000 still going to charity but $200,000 now available as a personal stipend.
“The PGA of America came to me – they wanted to bring the Ryder Cup into the present day,” Bradley said on Monday. “The charity dollars hadn’t changed since 1999. They asked me to help shepherd this into 2025. I’ll personally be donating my additional $200,000 stipend to charity.”
In contrast, Europe’s players continue to play for no pay. Captain Luke Donald said payment has never been part of his team’s thinking.
“I reached out to all 12 guys from Rome to see how they felt,” Donald said. “Everyone was like: ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money.’ A couple hundred thousand dollars isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things. We don’t need monetary rewards to get up for this.”
Bradley dismissed suggestions that Europe’s stance gives them the moral high ground.
“I don’t really get that,” he said. “I’m not concerned about what Europe does or what they think. I was tasked with a job by the PGA of America, and this was what we decided. We wanted to bring the Ryder Cup into today’s age.”
Bradley noted that the new system mirrors the Presidents Cup, a PGA Tour event where players also direct funds toward charitable causes.
“We copied a lot of what the Presidents Cup does,” he said. “I think the players are going to do a lot of good with this money. These guys are really good people and they’ll make a big impact.”
The designated charities have not been made public, with Bradley saying many players prefer to keep their contributions private.
“I don’t donate to publicise what I’m doing. It’s a personal decision,” he said. “These guys do a lot with their foundations, and most aren’t comfortable sharing that information.”
Donald, meanwhile, warned the change could spark a US fan backlash, especially given the steep cost of attending the Ryder Cup in New York.
“We all know how high ticket prices are,” he said. “If the US players are getting a stipend and they don’t perform, New Yorkers will let them know about it.”
Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images
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