Despite all the controversy about the hefty price tag on Ryder Cup tickets, the PGA of America has revealed that the three match days have already sold out.
Although there was a $750 asking price for match day tickets, the PGA of America said that demand was "enormous" and that over half a million fans entered the random ballot.
And the demand was far reaching, coming "from across the United States and 47 countries around the world. There were more than 2,500 transactions from Europe."
The only tickets now left for sale for the showdown at Bethpage Black are for the practice days, but only a limited number of those remain unsold for now.
With a top price of $277 for a Ryder Cup match day ticket in 2023, the price hike to $750 caused an outcry among the golfing world.
The PGA of America defended the prices, saying that as a "Tier One" event and one that was on many people's bucket lists, it should be priced as such.
And it seems that golfing fans agreed, with over 500,000 willing to part with at least that $750 to be in the crowd when Keegan Bradley's Team USA try to win the Ryder Cup back from Luke Donald's European visitors.
"There are people who have the Ryder Cup on their bucket list the same way that someone would have a Yankees opening game World Series on their bucket list and ultimately we felt that's where we are," PGA of America championship director Bryan Karns told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio when ticket prices were revealed.
With tickets already sold out, fans still wanting to attend a match day at the 2025 Ryder Cup will have to either purchase one as part of a travel package, or go through the secondary ticket market.
pic.twitter.com/nMWFJJn5p7November 13, 2024
The PGA of America was keen to insist, though, that it "did not make any Ryder Cup ticket inventory available for initial purchase via any secondary market."
Tickets on SeatGeek, the official secondary market for the PGA of America, were on sale already at prices from around $1100 to around $1400 for each of the three match days.
The vast sums of money being brought in by the PGA of America thanks to these ticket sales will again bring up the recent talk of players being paid to take part in the Ryder Cup.
Opinion is divided on whether players should play in the Ryder Cup just for the glory and not financial rewards, but some American players especially feel they should get a larger piece of the pie.
Team USA's 12 players currently get $200,000, with half going to a charity of their choice and the other 50% heading to a particular golfing initiative.
However, a report from The Telegraph's James Corrigan says they could be set to receive $400,000 each going forward. And the PGA of America will certainly have the funds after such healthy ticket sales.
