"That’s the difference"; "Who f****ng cares" - Fans divided over Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup pay comments

On Monday, September 22, Luke Donald shared his views on the Ryder Cup payments for the players. However, his stance on the matter leaves the golf community divided.

He revealed that following the last edition of the Ryder Cup in Rome, he sat down with his roster to discuss pay for the event after the news that Team USA would be handing out massive checks went viral. Donald echoed the voices of his team that said they do not wish to represent Europe for another payday.

Here's a look at Luke Donald's comments on the matter at Bethpage Black this week (via X @NUCLRGolf):

The veteran golfer went on to explain that the lifetime memories his players will make representing their nations are worth a lot more than a big deposit into their bank accounts. A fan valued Luke Donald's sentiments and agreed with his take on the matter.

The fan commented (via X @Romans6_11):

"That’s the difference. Those dudes are cut from a different cloth. They have a different perspective and appreciation than the Americans. Their road to the PGA tour was vastly different than most if not all Americans."

However, another golf enthusiast stated that the situation with the Americans requesting paydays for their work is not that big of a deal. The fan commented (via X @CraigMedec65389):

"Omg who f***ing cares. Get over this shit man."

Another fan's comment shed light on what "motivates" the two Teams. They suggested that Team USA is playing for the big bucks while Team Europe is playing to win and make their nations proud.

The fan's comment read, "Easy to say when you're already getting well paid. But it shines a bright light on what motivates the Euros v Americans. It's not flattering."

Here are a few other fans' reactions to Luke Donald's most recent comments regarding pay at the Ryder Cup (via X @NUCLRGolf):

A golf enthusiast wrote, "Somebody is getting paid from all the revenue being generated. Why shouldn’t it be the people bringing the eyeballs? What am I missing?" "The US team should not get paid, period! Making the team shows your success and the captain picks should be a honor to be selected. Multimillionaire crybabies,' stated a fan. "I agree it’s stupid why does US guys need to get paid. A thrill of a lifetime to play for country. A million dollars is gon a make or break them. ? It’s selfish," commented a fan.

Luke Donald's interview with Sky Sports Golf was reposted by NUCLR Golf. He explained that each one of his 12 players on the Ryder Cup team rejected the idea of getting paid for one week biannually.

---

How much money is Team USA getting paid for the Ryder Cup?

Each member of Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup will receive a payday worth a whopping $500,000. Not only are the players entitled to receive the check worth half a million dollars, but all the captains will also be compensated for their time and work.

However, they will not get to keep the entirety of their $500,000 paycheck. Each member of the team is obligated to donate a total of $300,000 as a whole team from their earnings for the week to a charity.

Edited by Lathika Krishna