U.S. Ryder Cuppers getting paid is not loopy. It is the messaging that is off

December 4, 2024

U.S. Ryder Cup gamers wave their hats towards Patrick Cantlay throughout the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.

Getty Photographs

The article under is a lightly-edited transcription of video commentary relating to Tiger Woods’ feedback Tuesday on U.S. gamers being paid further to play within the Ryder Cup. You could find the video embedded under.

Tiger Woods gave a press convention Tuesday for the primary time in 4 months, and the speaking factors had been predictable. His well being. His schedule. Negotiations with the Saudi PIF. However one matter appeared to catch him abruptly:

Ryder Cup cash.

“Tiger, what’s your opinion on the opportunity of American gamers getting paid to play within the Ryder Cup,” he was requested.

He deflects. He blames the media, which he hardly ever does. He rambles in an unorganized method. And lastly, he finishes with not one however two rhetorical questions.

Tiger is aware of that the Ryder Cup already provides $200,000 to every participant to distribute to a charitable group. What he desires is much more. A million {dollars}, he mentioned at first. 5 million {dollars}, he mentioned later, to a number of charities.

“I believe it’s nice,” Woods mentioned.

The concept isn’t new, however it’s information, by the use of a Telegraph report that mentioned U.S. Ryder Cuppers are as a consequence of earn a $400,000 stipend in 2025, and so they received’t have to provide it to charity. (The PGA of America declined to touch upon the report.) Whereas Woods raised some attention-grabbing factors, the difficulty — on this period of athletes wanting more cash and management — is about messaging. And what Tiger ought to have mentioned is that the message from U.S. gamers will be completely different than the message being despatched from European gamers, as a result of they’re not enjoying for the very same issues.

Sixty % of the European aspect of the Ryder Cup is owned by the European Tour, the identical tour that turns a revenue solely when Europe hosts a Ryder Cup. So Rory and Rahm and Shane-O and Tommy-lad — in a giant method they’re enjoying for the sustenance of the tour they grew up watching, and proceed to play on. The Tour that minimize a few of their first skilled checks a few of these guys ever earned. That’s a simple model not solely to belief but in addition to play for.

Crew USA is representing their nation, sure, however they’re additionally representing the PGA of America, which makes use of the Ryder Cup as a large fundraiser to develop the sport via their very own initiatives. In comparison with the European Tour and the European crew, the PGA of America merely doesn’t interface with American Ryder Cuppers practically as a lot, which leads us to moments like Tiger’s rhetorical questions.

What he inferred in that press convention is, if PGA of America initiatives are what U.S. golfers are enjoying for within the Ryder Cup, we’d like get extra transparency on the place all of the occasion’s income goes to develop the sport, and in addition we’d like a bit extra of the cash to go to charities that we actually like?

This isn’t an unrealistic request, as long as that is the request — however it has to come back with the correct messaging. Proper now, all we’ve acquired a report in a British newspaper and a “no remark” from the PGA of America. As for Crew Europe, they’re dialed with their communication! The day after the report, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Bob MacIntyre — all of them mentioned some model of It’s not concerning the cash. In reality I’d PAY to play within the Ryder Cup.

Whereas that could be an unrealistic bluff that the People ought to sneakily name them on, it has given the Europeans a transparent communication benefit. In the event that they win the Ryder Cup in September — it’s we received, and we didn’t receives a commission. If the Europeans lose — it’s DARN, we misplaced, however not less than we didn’t demand more cash.

This messaging is sitting in Rory McIlroy’s again pocket. He can use it ought to he select to. Nevertheless it’s additionally messaging the American crew can do one thing about, as long as they get their personal home so as and publicly make clear precisely what they need from the PGA of America. In the end, it ought to in all probability come from somebody apart from Tiger Woods, although, as a result of he received’t be enjoying.