U.S. Ryder Cup Players Will Be Paid $500,000 by PGA of America

While noting that “no players asked to be compensated,” the PGA of America announced an increased payment which includes a charitable donation and a stipend.

U.S. Ryder Cup players will receive $500,000 next year. / Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

After weeks of silence in the aftermath of a report that U.S. Ryder Cup players would be paid for their participation, the PGA of America on Monday announced a compensation plan that will see 60% of a payment directed to charity with the remainder being described as a stipend.

Each member of the U.S. team will get $500,000, with $300,000 earmarked for charity, the organization announced in a statement. The players will get the remaining $200,0000 as a stipend.

This $500,000 figure is up from the $200,000 figure that has been going to charity since 1999.

The organization acknowledged that “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,” according to a statement which went on to say that “no players asked to be compensated.”

Last month, the Telegraph reported that U.S. players would be paid $400,000 each for their participation. Members of the European side of the Ryder Cup have said they will not be paid and prefer that funds continued to be directed toward backing the DP World Tour.

The issue has garnered plenty of attention and it grew out of controversy last year in Rome, where U.S. player Patrick Cantlay was at the center of Saturday taunting when a Sky Sports report said he was playing in the competition without a hat as a matter of protest.

Cantlay has denied several times that he was protesting over pay, mostly recently two weeks ago at the Hero World Challenge.

Last week, Sports Illustrated learned that 12 past U.S. Ryder Cup captains sent a letter to the PGA of America in support of all player funding going to charity.

At the Hero World Challenge two weeks ago, several U.S. players including captain Keegan Bradley and Tiger Woods sent mixed messages on the issue, suggesting that the event generates substantial income and that there should be a significant sum directed to the players.

The Ryder Cup is part of the PGA of America’s four-year budgeting cycle and helps support the programs of PGA pros across the country as well as supporting several of its other events.

But at the 2023 Ryder Cup, Stefan Schauffele, the father of Xander Schauffele, was quoted by several outlets on the issue of pay.

“They are using players’ intellectual properties to make money, and the American players don’t get paid,” Stefan Schauffele told the Times of London last year. “More importantly, this would become a non-issue if all proceeds, net proceeds, from the Ryder Cup were to be donated to common charitable causes. Right now, the American players are asked to donate their time pro bono in the name of patriotism so these organizations can benefit from the profits.

“The PGA (of America) uses this money, and the PGA Tour gets 20 percent that goes into the retirement of every member. The 12 players supposedly need to eat it and their intellectual property gets abused for the benefit of 200 other people. That’s not right.”

The older Schauffele was referring to the portion of the PGA of America television revenue that goes to the PGA Tour and is dispersed into the retirement plans of all players.

“Golf is a long-established vehicle for god and it’s exciting to imagine the impact the members of the U.S Ryder Cup team will deliver for worthy causes and communities across the country, including the many initiatives that support the growth of the game,’’ the PGA of America said in its statement.

Next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island will see $750 daily ticket prices—via the PGA of America, the event is already sold out but tickets are available on the secondary market for more. Practice rounds tickets are in the $250 range.

That revenue doesn’t include corporate hospitality, sponsorships, concessions and parking.