Patrick Reed, a fierce Ryder Cup competitor, believes players shouldn’t get paid for representing Team USA.
Reed, often called Captain America due to his fiery performances, shared with Gulf News that money isn’t needed to motivate players for the Ryder Cup. He described the payment issue as “sticky” but insisted that passion and pride should drive participation.
Rumors swirl about the PGA of America planning to pay each Team USA member $400,000 for next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. This has sparked debate among golf enthusiasts. Some like Paul McGinley oppose it strongly, while Rory McIlroy said he’d even pay to play in such an event. Hunter Mahan supports payments, but Reed disagrees.
Opinions on Player Payments:
Reed reminisced about past Ryder Cups where money was never a topic of conversation among players or caddies. “We just wanted to compete against Europe and bring the cup home,” he said passionately. The tournament’s essence is far beyond financial gain; it’s about representing your country and playing for something bigger than oneself .
Fans might wonder why there’s so much fuss over money when it’s all about national pride.
He also expressed concerns over captain’s picks affecting player earnings. If selections determine who gets paid, Reed finds it unfair. “Imagine working hard every two years only to miss out on $400k because you weren’t picked,” he lamented. Such scenarios don’t sit well with him.
So what do you think? Should players be paid for their passion or let pride be enough?
