Controversy is already brewing ahead of next year’s Ryder Cup in New York as Team USA is reportedly set to be paid for their time at Bethpage Black.
It would be the the first occasion when either team would be directly paid for playing in the USA-versus-Europe clash.
There are no plans for the Europeans to be paid, while each American is in line to make around $400,000 for the global event, per The Telegraph.
The decision to pay the dozen-player American roster still has to be finalized by the PGA after a new chief executive for the organization is named. Yet, it is thought there will be no stumbling blocks to get the new measure in place.
It would be a startling move to pay the Americans for some, after the actions from last year’s Ryder Cup that included a dust-up in a car park between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava.
Patrick Cantlay came under fire during last year’s Ryder Cup for not wearing a Team USA hat
Rory McIlroy got into a parking-lot dust-up with Cantlay’s caddie during last year’s event
In Italy, Cantlay was accused of not wearing a Team USA cap as part of his red, white, and blue uniform in opposition of not earning a wage for his time at the prestigious tournament.
Cantlay denied the reasoning for his lack of decorum, with the European crowd adding fuel to the fire by waving their own hats in his presence.
Amid the crowd’s negative messaging toward Cantlay on the penultimate day of the event was when McIlroy and LaCava got into it off the course.
The only players that have been confirmed to be playing at next year’s Ryder Cup are the captains – American Keegan Bradley and Englishman Luke Donald.
Members of Donald’s team told The Telegraph that the Europeans will represent their continent for ‘passion’ alone.
Funding for the European team, should it ever come into favor, would likely not come from the PGA but the DP World Tour instead.
The home team has won the last five Ryder Cups, dating back to Europe’s victory at the 2014 edition.
Should America fail to continue that trend next September, Team USA’s motives in participating will heavily come into question.
