On the eve of the US PGA Championship in 2024, Justin Thomas has shared his opinions on the matter of Ryder Cup competitors receiving compensation.
On the eve of the 2024 PGA Championship, Justin Thomas has shared his opinions on the contentious topic of Ryder Cup player compensation.
In an interview with the Times of London, Thomas, 31, discussed the subject in detail.
Thomas voiced his dissatisfaction in the same interview for not having accomplished more in his PGA Tour career to date.
“It’s awful,” the American exclaimed. “There’s really nothing else to say it with.”
As you may remember, Thomas was a contentious captain’s choice for the Ryder Cup in 2023.
In spite of his incredible performance in the competition, the golfer seemed completely lost in his game following an utterly awful major season that culminated in an emotional press conference at the 151st Open Championship.
In the five weeks leading up to the biennial dust-up in September of last year, Thomas made the decision to play and practice without taking a break.
His teammates didn’t make the same move, and Team USA was later charged with inadequate preparation.
For the first time, Thomas has acknowledged that each member of the team would ‘do things differently’ even though their five-point loss wasn’t solely the result of their inadequate preparation.
In addition to inadequate practice, there were rumors that some members of the Team USA locker room were upset about not getting paid to compete.
As you are probably aware, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele were the targets of the allegations.
Cantlay insisted that he couldn’t find a cap that fit, but he wasn’t protesting by not donning a Team USA cap.
But when asked directly if Ryder Cup players should be paid, the American declined to answer with a simple “yes” or “no.”
Later, weeks before the Ryder Cup, Schauffele’s father confirmed that his son’s participation in the 2023 competition was uncertain due to a contract dispute with the PGA of America, adding fuel to the flames.
Furthermore, Thomas stated that the matter “may come up in conversation at some point.”
“It was made into a bigger deal in terms of this team than it actually was,” he said to The Times.
“I think that everyone on the planet would rather play and get paid than not play, but I’m not too worried about it because we aren’t getting paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
“I haven’t lost any sleep at any point in the night because of it, but you could go down many different paths and look at the revenue it generates and make a very good argument we could and should be [paid],” I said.
Although Thomas seems open to the idea of having a “conversation,” one significant individual has strong opinions about the matter.
In the immediate wake of Europe’s victory in Rome, Luke Donald, the winning captain of that team, was asked if Ryder Cup competitors should receive compensation.
Donald stated unequivocally, “Absolutely not.”
“The Ryder Cup represents true sport,” he continued. It has to do with defending your nation. It’s about uniting as a group.
“I believe the fans adore it because it’s the purest form of competition we have. There isn’t any external incentive at play. It’s just sport, nothing more.”
The 2025 Ryder Cup will take place at Bethpage Black in Long Island, New York, from September 25–28.
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