It’s not the prize money, but pride is what’s at stake at the Ryder Cup. For almost a century, this is what has distinguished this biennial event from other tournaments. However, it appears that not every golfer is happy with this tradition.
Without a doubt, the USA is going through one of its worst Ryder Cup campaigns. Amidst all these, there is a rift within the team itself. Apparently, one USA Ryder Cup star is frustrated with the tradition of not being paid. The player, as per the report, is the center of a faction that wants to get paid to play at Rome.
Team USA is ‘fractured’ from the inside
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A bombshell report reveals that Patrick Cantlay believes players should be paid to participate in the Ryder Cup. If you were baffled to see the 31-year-old golfer not wearing the USA cap on Friday, it was his way of lodging a protest.
Traditionally, Ryder Cuppers aren’t paid for their participation. The PGA, however, rewards a total of $200,000 to the team. The money is split up and eventually donated to various organizations and charities.
Apparently, the eight-time PGA Tour winner is not happy with this. His dissent seems to have found backing from his playing mate and close friend, Xander Schauffele. Although not going too far, he supports the cause by refusing to wear the ‘USA’ cap. As per Jamie Weir of Sky Sports, the duo also sits separately in the dressing room, further shedding light on the internal split growing between the Americans!
Understand from several sources that the US team room is fractured, a split led predominantly by Patrick Cantlay.
Cantlay believes players should be paid to participate in the Ryder Cup, and is demonstrating his frustration at not being paid by refusing to wear a team cap.— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) September 30, 2023
This was not the first time that the Ryder Cupper has courted controversy. Earlier, USA Captain Zach Johnson confirmed that cameras won’t be allowed inside the USA dressing room for the second part of the Netflix documentary, Full Swing. As per the same report, it was the current world Nos. 5 and 6 who were behind that decision. Cantlay, notably, was also absent from the gala dinner earlier this week. This time, fans and analysts were unanimous in condemning the one-time Ryder Cupper’s actions.
Read More: ‘Horribly Inaccurate’: Full Swing Documentary Series Raises Major Concerns Among Golf Fans
Patrick Cantlay is pulled up by fans for his ‘bizarre’ Ryder Cup decision
Cantlay’s hatless display yesterday didn’t sit well with the majority of USA fans. Most of them took to Twitter to voice their frustration at the current world no. 5. To make matters worse, McIlroy and Fleetwood bested the duo in the foursome. One fan even commented that, without a hat, the golfer looks like a “little known accountant”.
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Fans felt that his not wearing a Team USA hat in such a prestigious competition as the Ryder Cup tarnished the image of the entire team. Now, with reports coming out of his dissent, analysts and fans were left baffled. One golf analyst tweeted, “He must’ve spent too much money at strip clubs for his bach party. Only explanation for such a bizarre hill to die on.”
Patrick Cantlay apparently wants to be paid to wear the US Ryder Cup logos.
He must’ve spent too much money at strip clubs during his bach party. Only explanation for such a bizarre hill to die on.
— Amanda Rose (@AmandaGolf59) September 30, 2023
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Things are certainly not going well, Team USA. After Victor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg trounced world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, a rift in the dressing room will undoubtedly be the last thing that Zach Johnson wants.
Watch This Story: With merely two weeks left for the Ryder Cup team USA’s Patrick Cantlay has yet to leave his tainted masters footprints behind