Europe’s most hated Patrick Reed has ripped into the call for players to be paid for competing in the Ryder Cup.
The American has issued a plea to make Keegan Bradley’s team although knows he’s at a disadvantage due to his LIV status. But Reed – who has not been a member of a Stars and Stripes side since Jim Furyk’s Paris losing side in 2018 – is horrified by the suggestion Americans should be paid £320,000 for the honour.
He told Record Sport: “When you talk about being paid to play in a Ryder Cup is a very slippy slope because there are six picks in the make-up on the US. So if a guy ends up qualifying 10th or 11th or 12th and it they end up getting passed over and someone else is picked then those players have not only lost out in representing their country but lost out on $400,000.
“That is not what the Ryder Cup is ever about. It’s never been about the money as it’s all about making the team, representing your country and going out and playing your best to try to win the cup for your country.
“If the organisers of the Ryder Cup want to do something instead of paying the players, why don’t they donate more to the charities or give the money to the players to donate to their own charities. Such a move, I feel, would really make a difference”.
Triple Ryder Cup star Reed is hoping his winning form will continue into the New Year and be good enough to earn a US Ryder Cup ‘wildcard’ pick from US captain Bradley. The Texan made his debut four years earlier in Tom Watson’s mis-managed Gleneagles team while Reed savoured his only taste victory in Davis Love 111s victorious 2016 Hazeltine team.
And it was Reed’s opening Sunday Singles showdown 1up victory that year against a more-fancied Rory McIlroy that set the tone for the Americans comprehensive six-point success. However, a fourth USA team cup won’t come as easy for the now LIV based Reed, and very like Sergio Garcia it will, under present conditions, come only thanks to Bradley’s direct nod.
Reed said: “I haven’t spoken directly to Keegan but we have always got on well when I was competing on the PGA Tour and he knows what I would bring to his team but then being now with LIV you can’t earn qualifying points.
“So, unless the qualifying conditions change, I am going to have to do what I did last month winning in Hong Kong and earn Keegan’s favour by continuing that form in the lead-up to Bethpage Park.”