Dame Laura Davies feels it’s “a bit disgraceful” for Ryder Cup players to want to be paid for playing in the prestigious event.
The Solheim Cup legend says she holds the team events between the USA and Europe as the highest honor in golf – and agreed with Rory McIlroy who said he would happily pay for the privilege of teeing it up in a Ryder Cup.
It’s not a sentiment shared by some of Team USA though, with the Telegraph report that the Americans have successfully lobbied for a $400,000 payment each for next year’s Ryder Cup in New York.
Former USA player Hunter Mahan told Golf Monthly why he agrees with the payments, while Paul McGinley is among those vehemently against it – as he sees the money being diverted away from grassroots golf.
McGinley’s Sky Sports colleague Davies agrees, and is very much in the camp of those against such payments.
“Anyone that wants to be paid, I think its a bit disgraceful really, because if you’re a Ryder Cup player you’ve earned a lot of money to get into the team,” Davies said on Sky Sports’ coverage of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“So to want more, for whatever their reasons are…maybe they get the ones that aren’t that bothered who will get the money and just give it to their foundations, which would be lovely obviously.
“But to go on about money to get into the Ryder Cup, I just don’t understand it.”
Dame Laura Davies says it’s a “bit disgraceful’ that the American team will reportedly be paid for playing at the 2025 Ryder Cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/TgTfpQiyHPNovember 15, 2024
Davies knows that the stance by some of the USA team is more about the principle of the players who produce the action on the course being paid for their efforts, rather the needing the money.
However, she can’t understand why being paid would even be a consideration as she feels representing the USA or Europe in the Ryder Cup or Solheim Cup is the biggest honor in golf.
“I’m sure it’s not all the players,” she added. “It’ll probably just be a few who want the money for their own reasons.
“It won’t be because they need the money, it’s because they feel that the players should be played, but I’m with Rory, I’d have loved to have played in another Solheim Cup – it’s just the biggest honor you’ll ever have in your career.”
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