Luke Donald Warns of Possible Reaction from American Fans
Luke Donald, captain of the European team, has expressed his concern about the possible reaction of American fans during the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Donald fears that the fans may turn against the players of the United States team due to the economic incentives they receive. Donald pointed out that the atmosphere in Farmingdale, New York, could become tense. “We all know how high ticket prices are, and it will be an expensive trip for a family of four. If the US players are paid a stipend, or whatever, and they don’t perform, New Yorkers could let them know,” he commented. According to reports, both the players and the captain of the American team will receive $500,000 this week, of which $300,000 must be donated to charity. In contrast, the European team will not receive any personal financial compensation.I wanted to get ahead of this when I first heard about it last year and it seemed like it was going to happen. I contacted the 12 players in Rome to find out how they felt. Their voices are important. They all said, ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money in that event.’
Luke Donald
Donald emphasized the European team’s perspective on the event. “We just don’t see it that way. We understand what it represents. We have a great purpose and that’s really enough for us. We understand that the money raised helps the European Tour Group and the grassroots,” Donald explained.
“We talk a lot about this, we are here to inspire the next generation. So this money goes to good things. Hopefully, it will help future Ryder Cup players become great players. I think our purpose, why we play the Ryder Cup, is quite strong and that’s enough for that week.” “This speaks to what the Ryder Cup means to these guys. A couple hundred thousand dollars for these guys isn’t much money in the grand scheme of things. Those Ryder Cup weeks are the best weeks. There’s so much more than that. We certainly don’t need any motivation or monetary rewards to get us going.” The Ryder Cup will begin on Friday.
