Ryder Cup Cash Clash Divides Europe From USA

By Paul Jones

Tiger Woods hopes American golfers get five million dollars each to play in the Ryder Cup next September and give the money to charity.

Players – including Welsh stars like Jamie Donaldson, Phil Price, Ian Woosnam and Brian Huggett – have competed in the Ryder Cup for nearly a century without receiving appearance fees, but that could change for the 2025 contest at Bethpage Black in New York.

Multiple reports have suggested United States’ players will be paid as Keegan Bradley’s 12-strong team attempt to reclaim the cup currently in European hands, with each member receiving around $400,000 (£315,000) to tee it up in the biennial event.

Woods was part of the American team at the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline when appearance fees were discussed, and the 48-year-old says his stance on the matter has not changed.

Tiger Woods supports U.S. Ryder Cup players getting increased stipends next year, but he has a stipulation for the money.https://t.co/v88dMm48Sn

— SI Golf (@SI_Golf) December 3, 2024

“Going back to my playing days we had the same conversation back in 1999,” said Woods, speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas where he is tournament host.

“We didn’t want to get paid. We wanted to give more money to charity (but) the media turned it round against us and said we wanted to get paid.

“The Ryder Cup makes so much money. Why can’t we allocate it to various charities?

“I hope they (USA players) get five million dollars each and donate it all to different charities. I think that’s great. What’s wrong with that?

“It’s so hard to get on to that team – there’s only 12 guys. What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds?”

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy said last month he would “pay to play” for Europe in the Ryder Cup.

The Northern Irishman was one of several European players who said they do not need financial rewards to compete against the Americans.

Asked what that says about the Europeans’ attitude towards the Ryder Cup, Woods said: “That’s fine, that’s their right to say.

“If the Europeans want to pay to be in the Ryder Cup then that’s their decision, that’s their team.

“I know once on European soil it subsidises most of their tour, so it is a big event for the European tour. If they want to pay to be in it, so be it.”

Woods is a non-playing tournament host at the Albany Resort on the island of New Providence this week after undergoing back surgery in September.

The 15-time major champion played five tournaments in 2024 – the last being the Open at Royal Troon when his 14-over score of 156 was close to being dead last – and made the cut only once.

Woods said: “As the year went on, it just kept progressively getting worse to the point where it just wasn’t getting better either from treatments or laying around resting or even activations. Nothing felt good and the MRI showed that.

“I’m just progressively trying to test it, keep making progress without setting it off.

“I don’t want to have any setbacks, just want to keep making progress and give myself the best chance going into next year as possible.

“I feel like I’m getting stronger, I’m getting more pliable, but I’ve got a long way to go to be able to compete against these guys.”

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Woods, a PGA Tour policy board member, was asked about protracted negotiations between the Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF have been attempting to negotiate a deal since announcing a shock “framework agreement” in June 2023.

Woods said: “I think all of us who have been a part of this process would have thought it would have happened quicker than this.

“But we wish we would have had something more concrete and further along than we are right now.

“I think something will get done. In what form or shape, I don’t know yet.”