Xander Schauffele has declared he will not be taking his Ryder Cup paycheck following Rory McIlroy’s skepticism about Team USA’s new policy to pay participants in the biennial event. The PGA of America recently decided to compensate its players, breaking with the tradition of not paying golfers for their involvement in the tournament.
Team USA captain Keegan Bradley was quick to say he’d refuse any payment, opting to donate it to charity instead, and Schauffele is following suit as he spoke out nine months before the event. “I just see it as a whole lot of money going to charity and we’re going to take a lot of c—,” Schauffele explained to the press.
While some of Team USA’s 11 other members might be keen on the roughly $500,000 being offered, the San Diego-born golfer will not be one of them. It’s reported that $300,000 of each Team USA player’s earnings will be given away, with half supporting a PGA of America initiative and the rest going to a charity chosen by the player.
The remaining $200,000 is considered a stipend, but players have discretion over this portion of the funds. The United States is set to host the upcoming Ryder Cup this September at Bethpage in New York, where Europe, the current champions, will attempt to secure their first win on American turf since 2012.
Back in November, before the issue of player payments was settled, McIlroy didn’t mince words about his feelings on Ryder Cup compensation, signaling his willingness to pay out of pocket for the experience. “I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup,” he declared to BBC Sport.
He then praised the Ryder Cup and the Olympics as the two “purest” forms of golf competition because they are not driven by financial incentives. “I don’t think any of the 24 players on either team needs that $400,000,” he emphasized.
Rumors swirled that Patrick Cantlay ditched his Team USA cap at this year’s Ryder Cup in Rome due to a pay dispute, but he dismissed these allegations, insisting there was “not a shred of truth” in them. Schauffele believes the payment controversy may actually boost the event’s appeal, noting, “Whenever there’s like a feud, what happens? It juices everything up around it. The Ryder Cup is going to do better because of this thing.
“We make plenty of money throughout the year, so we’re happy to give money when we can,” he affirmed, underscoring the generosity often seen among competitors.
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