While the US players are to receive 400,000 US dollars for their participation in the Ryder Cup from next year, Rory McIlroy and his teammates Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton firmly reject any financial reward. For them, the Ryder Cup is not just a tournament, but a symbol of pride, passion and team spirit. The biennial tournament, which has so far been held without payment for the players, is now to receive a financial component on the American side for the first time from 2025.
Rory McIlroy: Ryder Cup “a privilege”
Rory McIlroy made it unmistakably clear that the competition and the honor are his priority, not the money. “I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup,” said McIlroy in an interview with the BBC at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. For him, the Ryder Cup represents one of the purest forms of golf. “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.” McIlroy sees the Ryder Cup as more than just a golf competition: “But the Ryder Cup is so much more than that, especially to the Europeans and to this tour.”
McIlroy also argues: “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.” This illustrates that the DP World Tour is much more reliant on the money raised from the Ryder Cup.
Rory McIlroy showed understanding for the Americans’ decision, but warned of the potential impact of payment on the competition. “I can see the other side of the argument because the Ryder Cup does create a lot of revenue.“ said McIlroy. Nevertheless, he emphasized that money would significantly change the dynamics of the event. “ “I think we would all welcome money if it didn’t change the dynamic but the money really would change the dynamic,” explained the Northern Irishman.
Ryder Cup a privilege for European players
Other European players such as Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton echoed this sentiment. Tyrrell Hatton emphasized: “I’ve never thought about being paid to play in the Ryder Cup. It’s such an honour to be a part of that 12 that play.”
Lowry made it clear that the DP World Tour has no plans to pay its players and he doesn’t believe it makes a difference if one side is remunerated. For the former Open champion, the Ryder Cup is motivation enough anyway. Lowry already feels rewarded by the experience and the opportunities it brings. The prospect of being on the team again spurs him on: “Like I’d give anything to know I’m on the team next year. I’m going to spend the next ten months stressing my head off trying to make the team.”