Scottie Scheffler says all of Team USA are “more than willing to play in the Ryder Cup for free” but has no problem with being paid to take part in next year’s event at Bethpage Black.
It's a well publicized debate now running through golf, with reports suggesting the PGA of America has agreed to pay Team USA $400,000 a man to play in next year's Ryder Cup.
The subject is proving quite devisive, Paul McGinley is among those strongly against it and Rory McIlroy says he would happily pay for the privilege of playing.
Conversely, former USA player Hunter Mahan told Golf Monthly why he agrees with the payments, but that's not a view shared by Patrick Reed.
Scheffler, as usual, is pretty calm on the subject, and he has no problem with payments being made to the players.
"As far as I'm concerned....I don't have a problem with it at all," Scheffler said at the Hero World Challenge.
"The last few years they've given us some money that we can give to charity, and if someone doesn't want to take the money for themselves or if you want to give to charity, do whatever, but I don't think there's any problem with guys getting paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
"I don't think it takes away from the competition at all."
The World No.1 was keen to insist that the American players would appear in the Ryder Cup for free
“As far as I’m concerned, I think all of us on the American side are more than willing to play in the Ryder Cup for free,” Scheffler said.
“We’ve been playing in the Ryder Cup for free for a long time. And if they want to pay us to play in the tournament, that’s great.
"And it's funny, I feel like a lot of the time in the golf media people are trying to talk less and less about money, but every week I sit here and get asked about money so you can't really have both there."
Americans would all pay to play Ryder Cup
And Scheffler added that Team USA would echo McIlroy's comments about happily paying to play in the Ryder Cup - with money never the motivating factor for him in his career.
"I think every one of our players would pay to play in the Ryder Cup if that's what was asked of us," Scheffler added. "I think it's a little bit silly for a tournament that makes hundreds of millions of dollars to ask for the players to pay as well, but I think we all would. I definitely would.
"I never played golf for money, I played golf because I love the game, I love competition. My motivating factor has never been more money.
"I've been playing golf my whole life for free and the money's just a bonus. If somebody wants to pay us to come out here and play golf, that's great, I'm not going to say no to it. I'm going to do the best I can in my community to steward that money well.
"We get paid pretty dang well to play in golf tournaments. I want to win just as bad for zero dollars as I do for whatever millions of dollars it is. The money's not my motivation, it's not something I think about, it's just a bonus that happens."
