….. PIF Saudi International, Riyadh
Triple USA Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed has come out strongly against suggestions his countrymen may be paid to contest next year’s Ryder Cup declaring “it’s not about the money but about representing your country”.
It was reported earlier last month, the PGA of America as organisers of the Ryder Cup when staged in the States would, 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 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 at Marco Simone in Rome.
Patrick Reed strongly against his countryman being paid to compete in next year’s 2025 Ryder Cup. Image – GolfByTourMiss
The American players do receive $200,000 to a chosen charity and it’s Reed’s view that any talk of a $400,000 ’personal’ payment is wrong and against the spirit of representing your country.
“Talk about being payed to play in a Ryder Cup is a very slippery slope because there are six picks in the make-up on the US team, so if a guy ends-up qualifying 10th or 11th or 12th and it they get passed over and someone else is picked, then those players have not only lost out in representing their country but lost out on $400,000″, said Reed today in talking with GolfByTourMiss.
“That is not what the Ryder Cup is ever about. It’s never been about the money as it’s all about making the team, representing your country and going out and playing your best to try and win the cup for your country.
“If the organisers of the Ryder Cup want to do something instead of paying the players, why don’t they donate more to the charities or give the money to the players to donate to their own charities.
“Such a move, I feel, would really make a difference”.
And the Texan has not ruled out earning a pick for next year’s Ryder Cup showdown at Bethpage Park on New York’s Long Island as long as he can continue last fortnight’s winning form in Hong Kong.
He said: “I haven’t spoken directly to Keegan but we have always got on well when I was competing on the PGA Tour but then being now with LIV you can’t earn qualifying points.
“So, unless the qualifying conditions change, I am going to have to earn Keegan’s favour by doing what I did last month in Hong Kong, and continue that good form in the lead-up to Bethpage Park”.
Reed has not been a member of a Stars and Stripes side since being on Jim Furyk’s Paris losing side in 2018.
The Texan made his debut four years earlier in Tom Watson’s mis-managed Gleneagles team while Reed savoured his only victory in Davis Love 111s victorious 2016 Hazeltine team.
And it was Reed’s opening Sunday Singles showdown victory against the more-fancied Rory McIlroy that set the tone for the Americans comprehensive six-point success.
However, a fourth USA team cap won’t come as easy for the now LIV based Reed, and very much like Sergio Garcia it will, under present conditions, come only with the 2025 USA captain Keegan Bradley’s direct approval nod.
And being a Life member of the DP World Tour Reed is intending to commence his 2025 season in January’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic and returning to the Emirates Club where two years ago lost out by a shot to McIlroy.
Reed said: “My intention at this stage is to return to Dubai early next year but it will depend on what the DP World Tour decides whether or not it is going to suspend their members like me from competing on the Asian Tour.
“It’s kind of annoying wondering as a life member whether or not I will be allowed to play on the DP World Tour.
“Personally, I feel if you have earned the right to play on a particular Tour, as I have in being a life member, then you should be approved to play where I choose to play”.
