1 week Ago By Sam Smith
Paul McGinley has questioned the motivations of players who look set to be paid at the Ryder Cup for the first time. Reports suggest that Team USA will share a £4million prize pot at the tournament in 2025, prompting disapproval from stars such as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Players would earn roughly £315,000 each as per the proposals first reported by the Telegraph .
It would be the first time that stars would receive an appearance fee for playing in the tournament, with the revenue generally distributed among the PGA Tour. But former Team Europe captain McGinley says it is a shame that players are seeking to take money that could otherwise be spent on grassroots. “I personally don’t like it,” he told Sky Sports.
“Look at the bodies who own the Ryder Cup...
it’s not like some corporate entity is taking all this money and running away with it. “I think it’s a shame that this money is going back into grassroots level and now players are looking for their piece as well. “I know they are professional sportsmen but, boy oh boy, are they not getting paid enough money at the moment, with all that’s going on in the game? “The players talk a lot about growing the game, and remember they get huge value out of being a Ryder Cup player – me included.
The Ryder Cup really has propelled me, in terms of what I’m doing post-career. “It’s a huge brand that you get associated with if you happen to be a Ryder Cup player, so it’s not as if they’re getting nothing out of it. Like a lot of things in the game at the moment, it’s a real shame.
” Team Europe are unlikely to follow Team USA in claiming appearance fees at the Ryder Cup. McGinley believes players on this side of the Atlantic are happy with the money going into the European Tour, rather than keeping it for themselves. “That remains to be seen, certainly a lot of the players I’ve talked to aren’t interested in having any money, because they - and I certainly - knew that the money went back into the European Tour,” the Irishman, 57, said.
“All my colleagues were thrilled with the success of Ryder Cups and supported us because the profits made on this side of the Atlantic went back into the European Tour and they’d play for more prize money down the line.”.
