Tiger Woods believes players should be financially rewarded for appearing in the Ryder Cup, but would like all the money to go to charity.
Players have previously competed in the Ryder Cup without receiving appearance fees, although there were reports last month that the American team was set to split the purse equally from the PGA of America to compete in Keegan Bradley’s 2025 event at Bethpage Black.
Woods was among the Americans who called for Ryder Cup performances to be refunded before the 1999 event in Brooklyn, and the 48-year-old wanted it to be made available to players to then donate elsewhere.
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Rich Beam talks about plans for the US Ryder Cup team to be paid for the first time in nearly a century, and he thinks it could give Team Europe an edge.
“We had the same conversation back in ’99, and it was that we didn’t want to get paid, we wanted to give more money to charity, and the media turned that against us and said we wanted to get paid,” Woods said. Before the Hero World Challenge, where he is the host of the tournament.
“The Ryder Cup itself makes so much money, so why can’t we give it to different charities? And what’s wrong with each player, 12 players getting a million dollars and being able to give it to the amazing charities they’re involved with?” are: that they can help.
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Grandmother Laura Davies gives her take on the news that US Ryder Cup players are set to receive money to compete.
“It’s their hometowns, where they’re from, all the different junior golf associations or endeavors the members are involved with.
“It’s never really been about getting paid, it’s about how we can fundraise to help our sport or help the things we believe in at home because it’s so hard to get into that team, there’s only 12 guys What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds?
Woods then added: “I hope they get $5 million each and give it all to charity. I think that’s great. What’s wrong with that?”
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Luke Donald reflects on how he guided Team Europe to Ryder Cup success in Rome in a new and exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary, Una Famiglia, available on Sky Sports.
A number of European players hit back at the speculation last month, saying they did not need to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup with Rory. McIlroy told the BBC Last month, that he would “pay for the privilege of playing” in a European team event.
“That’s fine, that’s their right,” Woods added. “I just think the event is so big that I think we can give that much money to different charities.
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Amid speculation that US Ryder Cup players will be paid for their participation, former Europe captain Paul McGinley says it is wrong on “many levels”.
“I’ve been saying that since ’99 when we had the Brookline talks. If the Europeans want to pay to play in the Ryder Cup, that’s their decision, that’s their team.
“I know when it’s on European soil it subsidizes a lot of their tour, so it’s a big event for the European Tour and if they want to pay to play on it, so be it.”
A potential PGA Tour-PIF deal is “still going through.”
Woods has been a prominent figure in talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, with the 15-time major champion hoping a deal could be struck to unify the men’s game.
“I think something will happen,” Woods said. “In what way or form, I don’t know yet.”
About the time it took to reach a deal, Woods admitted. “I think all of us who have been a part of this process would have thought it would happen faster than this.
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Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley give their thoughts on the LIV golfers who could compete at the 2025 Bethpage Black.
“Even if we had a deal by now, it’s still in the hands of the DOJ[Department of Justice]but we would like to have something more specific and more far-reaching than we are now.
“But it’s all very fluid, we’re still working on it, it’s happening every day. From a policy board point of view or an enterprise point of view, things are moving and they’re constructive.”
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