Patrick Cantlay Blames 'Media Narrative' For Role In Ryder Cup Pay Dispute

Patrick Cantlay says reports of all American players wanting to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup is just part of a "media narrative"

Patrick Cantlay after winning his Saturday afternoon fourball match in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Patrick Cantlay says reports that Team USA all want paying to play in the Ryder Cup is all part of a "media narrative" that has created such a big debate.

Ever since reports broke suggesting the PGA of America has agreed to pay Team USA $400,000 a man to play in next year's Ryder Cup - the debate has raged on about whether that's the right thing for the competition.

Players have been sharing their thoughts on the thorny issue at the Hero World Challenge this week, with Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler having their say.

Cantlay has been seen as a main instigator in possible Ryder Cup payments, but he was not being drawn into commenting on the subject when asked after his first round in the Bahamas.

"My thoughts on the Ryder Cup are really simple: I'm there to represent my country and I'm there to win points for my teammates and that's it," said Cantlay.

European Ryder Cup fans in Rome last year mocked Cantlay after the 'Hatgate' reports of him allegedly not wearing a Team USA cap in protest over not being paid.

That's why Cantlay is closely associated with the pursuit of player payments for next year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, but that was also rubbished by the World No.11.

"I think that's a media narrative and I'm not going to fall into that," he responded when asked about whether events in Rome being linked to player payments frustrated him.

It's a devisive issue though, with Paul McGinley among those strongly opposed and Rory McIlroy saying he would happily pay for the privilege of playing.

Scheffler said he had no issue with players being paid, but was also keen to point out that "every one of our [Team USA] players would pay to play in the Ryder Cup".

No official confirmation either way has yet been released by the PGA of America, so the debate will continue to rage until the scale of payments, if any, is revealed.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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