Paige Spiranac hits the nail on the head regarding $500K Ryder Cup pay-to-play saga

The PGA of America announced players will receive a total compensation of $500,000, which led Paige Spiranac to weigh in on the ordeal.

Paige Spiranac is one of the more influential voices in golf, so when she speaks, people listen.

She will typically provide her thoughts when big news breaks or major moments occur, such as Bryson DeChambeau’s heroic bunker shot at Pinehurst No. 2. But news surrounding next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black broke on Monday. The PGA of America announced that U.S. players will receive a compensation package of $500,000 to participate—further fueling the pay-to-play saga that has been the talk for months.

Accordingly, Spiranac weighed in on the situation, and her opinion hit the nail on the head.

“Players in the Ryder Cup will receive 200k stipend and 300k towards charity. I am not privy to the inside information to know if this is fair or not,” Spiranac posted on X.

“Selfishly I love the idea that the pride of representing your country is the driving force in the Ryder Cup not money. But from a business perspective they should be fairly compensated. I just wish this wasn’t public information considering all the money conversations surrounding golf right now.”

The Ryder Cup generates tremendous revenue for the PGA of America whenever it is played on U.S. soil. Next year’s competition promises to shatter previous records, mainly because it will be held in the New York market. Corporate hospitality is sold out, as are the $750 ticket prices many fans scoffed at. The demand is through the roof, and the New York area is buzzing with anticipation.

But golf has been plagued by monetary problems for the past couple of years, ever since the rise of LIV Golf. Dozens of golfers flocked to the Saudi-backed tour, chasing millions in guaranteed money to solidify their careers and families for generations. The PGA Tour responded by increasing its purse sizes to keep its top players from jumping ship. All of that has led to talks of money, money, and more money, which has disenfranchised many golf fans to a degree—no wonder ratings were down in 2024 across the board.

The Ryder Cup has long stood as its own entity, a competition in which players battle for something greater than themselves. Passion, pageantry, and rivalry are words that come to mind. Yet, since 1999, U.S. players have received $200,000 from the PGA of America to donate to their favorite charity. That number will now increase to $500,000 next year, with $200,000 used as a “stipend.” Captain Keegan Bradley said he would donate that extra allotment to charity, and many others will likely follow suit. Still, as Spiranac noted in her post, this should not have been public information. Golf has been plagued by greed, overstimulated by the talks of financial incentives instead of the drive to compete for major championships. It’s a stain on the sport that keeps turning fans away. Yes, players deserve to receive something, especially since the PGA of America will score a massive payday next Fall. But this talk only disappoints the fan who wants to see the Americans regain the Cup or the Europeans spoil the party on U.S. soil once more.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.