Ryder Cup opening ceremony: Luke Donald takes subtle jabs at USA for being paid to play

James O'Connell, New York Daily News on Sep 24, 2025

Published in Golf

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Let the games begin.

The opening ceremony of the 45th Ryder Cup took place near the first fairway of Bethpage Black on Wednesday evening. Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald delivered their opening remarks before both the European and American flags were raised near the first tee box to open up the event.

However, the two speeches featured very different tones.

Bradley delivered remarks centered on his connection to Bethpage as a former member of St. John’s University’s Golf team. Donald, however, reminded the crowd and the world that his team is not being paid to play in the Ryder Cup like his opponents.

“This isn’t about prize money or ranking points. It’s about the legacy you leave behind. … ” Donald said. “We know it won’t be easy … but we are fueled by something money cannot buy. Purpose, brotherhood and a responsibility to honor those who came before us.”

For the first time in its history, players are being paid for participating in the Ryder Cup. However, it’s only one side receiving the checks. Last November, the PGA of America voted to give Team USA — and Bradley — a $200,000 stipend and $300,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

USA players have been asked by the media all week what they plan to do with their money and how that affects the integrity of the Ryder Cup. Most of Bradley’s team kept mum on their plans for their stipends, as it is a private decision, while others shared they plan to donate all of it to charity.

“I think, for everyone, it’s a personal decision,” Bradley said Monday. “A lot of guys aren’t comfortable sharing what they’re going to do with their money, but we’re going to donate. I don’t donate to charities to publicize what we’re doing. These guys on our team are incredible people, and they do a lot of incredible things with charity dollars and with their foundations.”

The topic of money has been fuel for the Europeans as the picture has been painted that they are playing for pride while the Red, White and Blue are playing and receiving a paycheck. While Donald and Bradley have cited their long-term friendship at every given moment throughout the week, the European captain has done nothing but add fuel to the fire of the topic.

“Everyone was like, ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money for that event,' ” Donald said of when he was informed of U.S. players getting paid. “We have a great purpose, and that’s really enough for us. … A couple of hundred thousand dollars to these guys isn’t a lot of money in the grand scheme of things.

“Those weeks of the Ryder Cup, they are the best weeks. There’s so much more to them. We certainly don’t need any motivation or monetary rewards to get us up.”

Now, as the event kicked off, the European captain had his chance to let his feelings be known about the Americans receiving paychecks right in front of their face on the podium, and his subtle jabs surely delivered as fans of Europe cheered loudly every time he mentioned money at the opening ceremony.