Exclusive: DJ Backs Rory Declaring He’d Also Pay To Play In A Ryder Cup.

9 months ago by Comments Off on Exclusive: DJ Backs Rory Declaring He’d Also Pay To Play In A Ryder Cup.

Double major winning and five-time Ryder Cup star Dustin Johnson is backing Rory McIlroy by declaring also he would pay to play rather than be paid to represent his country in a Ryder Cup.

It was reported earlier last month, the PGA of America as organisers of the Ryder Cup when staged in the States, would and pending board member approval, remunerate all dozen USA team members with $400,000 for teeing-up at Bethpage Park.

Talk of the American team being paid to play clearly touched a nerve last year in Rome when Patrick Cantlay reportedly refused to wear an official team cap in protest over the non-payment issue.

‘Hatgate’, as it became known, spilled over into the weekend matches and was not helped by the visitors’ five point hiding on the Marco Simone course in Rome.

The American players do receive a sum, believed to be currently $150,000 that is presented to a chosen charity.

Now Johnson, who made his Ryder Cup debut along with McIlroy at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales, agrees with the Northern Irishman’s views.

“I kind of agree with Rory (McIlroy) and saying that I would pay to play in a Ryder Cup as opposed to looking to be paid”, said Johnson who aslo contested the 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2021 Ryder Cups.

“Obviously, the Ryder Cup makes a lot of money for the PGA of America but I don’t agree in players being paid to represent their country.

“Instead if they wish to pay the players  more than the current $150,000 to present to our respective charitable outlets, then I would agree to that and I think that would be fine.

“So, it they want to up that number it would be great as something like  $400,000 would do an awful lot of good to any charity but as far as players like myself getting paid to play in a Ryder Cup it can only detract from the pride in representing your country.

“The Ryder Cup is such a special event and as I said, I would pay money just to play in it”.

As well, GolfByTourMiss spoke yesterday (Monday) here in Riyadh with Patrick Reed who also is against any notion of players, no matter what team they’re on being paid.

You can read Patrick’s comments by clicking on: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2024/12/reed-declares-its-not-about-the-money-its-about-representing-your-country/

Johnson and Reed were speaking in Riyadh ahead of this week’s Asian Tour PIF Saudi International



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