Tiger Woods believes American players should all be paid millions to play in the Ryder Cup, providing those funds are donated to charity.
The PGA of America is close to agreeing a landmark scenario in which the US Ryder Cup team will be paid about $400,000 each to take on Europe in September. The move is a break from tradition and highly controversial, especially since tickets for Bethpage will cost $750 each. Europe’s Ryder Cup contingent continues to maintain they should not take a cut of event revenue.
Woods, speaking in public for the first time since the Open in July, has no gripe with the plan; but on one condition. “We had the same conversation back in 1999,” said the 15-time major winner. “We didn’t want to get paid, we wanted to give more money to charity. The media turned it around against us and said we wanted to get paid.
“No, the Ryder Cup makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities? And what’s wrong with each player getting $1m and the ability to divvy out to amazing charities that they’re involved in that they can help out? It’s their home towns, where they’re from, all the different junior golf associations or endeavours that the members are involved in.
“It’s never really been about getting paid, it’s [about] how can we allocate funds to help our sport or help things we believe in back home, because it’s so hard to get on to that team, there’s only 12 guys. What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds?
“I hope they would get $5m each and donate it all to charity, different charities. I think that is great. What’s wrong with that?”
Woods, who has played in eight Ryder Cups, is expected to captain the US for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor. He could have key involvement at Bethpage, with the situation muddied by the likelihood of Keegan Bradley, the captain, qualifying for his own team.
Woods shrugged off the contrasting payment approaches of the US and Europe. “That’s their right to say that,” he said. “I know when it’s on European soil it subsidises most of their Tour.”
Woods is back in the Bahamas in his role as host for the Hero World Challenge and his alliance with the tournament has now been extended until 2030. Back surgery in September means he will not form part of the 20-man field. The 48-year-old does, however, hope to return in competitive form in 2025.
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“This year, I had to toss it away,” he said. “I wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be and I didn’t play as much as I needed to going into the major championships and I didn’t play well at them. Hopefully next year will be better, I’ll be physically stronger and better.”
Woods remained vague on the likelihood of a peace deal being agreed between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Elongated talks have once again fuelled speculation that the PIF could turn towards Europe’s DP World Tour as an alternative.
“Even if we had gotten a deal done by now, it’s still in the Department of Justice’s hands,” Woods said. “But we wish we would have had something more concrete and further along than we are. I think something will get done. In what form or shape, I don’t know yet.”