The PGA of America has officially approved a scheme which will see American players paid to appear in the Ryder Cup for the first time in 2025.
A financial package of $500,000 will be sent to all of the 12 golfers included in the biennial contest from now on, with the captain also receiving half-a-million dollars. The PGA of America board met last week and gave the green light to the plans, which were unveiled on Monday.
Each player had previously been awarded $200,000 to forward on to a charity of their choice, an idea that was born in 1999. But - under the terms of the new agreement - this total has been increased to $300,000.
Meanwhile, every player will earn a $200,000 stipend, starting at Bethpage in 2025, breaking with a tradition which has been in existence since the first competition in 1927.
In a statement released on its social media channels announcing the news, the PGA of America said that "no player asked to be compensated" and that "the players and captains, past and present, are responsible for the Ryder Cup becoming the most special competition in golf and one of the most in-demand events on the international sports scene."
A Statement from the PGA of America on the 2025 Ryder Cup 🏆https://t.co/osnhWC9vgHDecember 16, 2024
The PGA of America's message concluded by saying: "We are grateful to the many players and captains through the years who have so passionately represented our country and look forward to a memorable 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black."
Current US captain Keegan Bradley has already announced that he will be giving his entire sum to charity - a figure that represented a 10th-place finish at the 2024 PGA Championship.
Days before the announcement was made public, it was reported by Sports Illustrated and The Telegraph that 12 former Ryder Cup captains had signed a letter to the PGA of America asking that the governing body pull back on plans to pay players.
Speaking anonymously to Sports Illustrated, one ex-US skipper said: “This was never intended to get out. This was done with the idea that you should play for your country and not reap financial benefit.
“We are trying to honor those who came before us and honor the Ryder Cup. It’s given us a lot of great moments in our lives. We’ve just wanted to show support.”
The same former Ryder Cup captain went on to say that if the entire amount went to charity, they would be in favor of that change - an idea that Tiger Woods had previously mentioned ahead of the Hero World Challenge.
Woods said: "Well, I would have to say that going back to my playing days, we had the same conversation back in ’99 and it was we didn’t want to get paid, we wanted to give more money to charity, and the media turned it around against us and said we want to get paid.
"No, the Ryder Cup itself makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities? And what’s wrong with each player, 12 players, getting a million dollars and the ability to divvy out to amazing charities that they’re involved in that they can help out? It’s their hometowns, where they’re from, all the different junior golf associations or endeavors that the members are involved in.
"It’s never really been about getting paid, it’s how can we allocate funds to help our sport or help things that we believe in back home, because it’s so hard to get onto that team, there’s only 12 guys.
"What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds? I hope they would get $5 million each and donate it all to charity, different charities. I think it’s great. What’s wrong with that?"
Calls for US players to receive some kind of compensation have existed publicly since the 1999 edition, when then-captain Ben Crenshaw helped to avoid a possible player boycott by introducing the charitable aspect which still exists in some form today.
However, there is thought to have long since been a number of Ryder Cup stars who felt they should personally reap some of the profits from an event which makes the PGA of America tens of millions of dollars.
Per former PGA of America president Ted Bishop when speaking to Sports Illustrated, a domestic Ryder Cup used to generate roughly $25 million around a decade ago, but that number is likely to be far higher in 2025 given that tickets have sold out at $750 apiece across the three competition days in New York.
There are still no plans for European Ryder Cup golfers to be paid, with Rory McIlroy recently going on record as stating he would pay organizers himself for the privilege of representing the Blue and Gold.
