NASSAU, Bahamas – If the PGA of America is on the lookout for steerage in what has develop into a polarizing subject, they might look to the PGA Tour’s coverage on paying gamers to take part within the Presidents Cup.
In response to a report in The Telegraph final month, the PGA of America is contemplating a plan to pay gamers $400,000 to take part in subsequent 12 months’s Ryder Cup. The PGA of America declined to touch upon the report and among the recreation’s high gamers weighed in on the subject this week on the Hero World Problem.
“I must say that going again to my taking part in days, we had the identical dialog again in ’99, we didn’t wish to receives a commission, we wished to offer extra money to charity, and the media turned it round towards us and mentioned we wish to receives a commission,” Tiger Woods mentioned Tuesday at Albany. “The Ryder Cup itself makes a lot cash, why can’t we allocate it to numerous charities?”
However whereas Woods leaned into the notion that any funds to gamers ought to go to a charity or basis there may be hypothesis that gamers could be averse to any stipulations on funds for Ryder Cup participation and the PGA of America has given cash ($200,000 just lately) to every Ryder Cup participant to donate to charity since 1999.
The Tour, nonetheless, reached a distinct answer when it altered its coverage concerning funds to Presidents Cup gamers in 2022. Every participant, on each the U.S. and Worldwide groups, is given a $250,000 “stipend.”
“The charitable mission of the Presidents Cup stays unchanged, with greater than $55 million donated to charity for the reason that Cup’s inception. The present charitable distribution plan ensures an enduring influence within the host metropolis or area of at the very least $1 million,” an announcement from the Tour learn. “As a part of the Tour’s general complete compensation program, distributions for the Presidents Cup have been adjusted to mirror the altering panorama of charitable giving, permitting gamers and captains the pliability to assist their respective foundations or private charitable priorities.”
Gamers can use the Presidents Cup stipend for charities or foundations, however it’s not required.
Even when the PGA of America went with the same coverage to the Tour’s, any change would create an fascinating dynamic between the U.S. workforce and the Europeans, who haven’t pushed for the same cost construction for the Ryder Cup.
“I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup,” Rory McIlroy advised BBC Sports activities final month.
Funds from the Ryder Cup in Europe present essential income for the DP World Tour whereas the PGA of America makes use of its share of the income to assist the affiliation’s varied packages. The PGA Tour does obtain a price from the PGA of America that’s not directly given to gamers in varied methods together with the circuit’s profitable retirement program.
