Rory McIlroy says he’d “pay to play” for Europe in the Ryder Cup, responding to reports that the American team will be compensated for their participation in next year’s event in New York.
The issue of payment became a talking point during last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, where Patrick Cantlay declined to wear the American team cap, seemingly in protest over the lack of financial incentives for players.
According to The Daily Telegraph, a deal has now been reached with the PGA of America, pending board approval, which would see each member of Keegan Bradley’s team receive an equal share of a $4.8 million fund.
"I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup," McIlroy told BBC Sport after the first round of the DP World Tour Championship.
"The two purest forms of competition in our game right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it's partly because of that, the purity of no money being involved.
"I don't think any of the 24 players on either team needs that 400 grand," McIlroy said. "Every two years, there are 104 weeks and 103 weeks you can play golf and get paid."
Cantlay’s decision to go capless in Rome sparked a reaction from European fans, who began waving their own hats in mockery of the American player.
The taunting eventually escalated, culminating in a heated exchange between McIlroy and Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, which spilled over into a tense confrontation in the clubhouse car park.
"It was a discussion that was happening in Rome," McIlroy added. "I can see the other side of the argument because the Ryder Cup does create a lot of revenue.
"It is one of the probably top five biggest sporting events in the world. So I get the argument that the talent should be or could be getting paid.
"But the Ryder Cup is so much more than that, especially to the Europeans and to this tour."
Rather than receiving compensation for his participation in the biennial event, McIlroy believes the funds would be better allocated elsewhere.
"We have all had a conversation with Luke about it over the past few weeks because we obviously heard," said McIlroy.
"The common consensus among us is that $5m would be better off spent elsewhere on the DP World Tour to support other events or even to support The Challenge Tour."
