Official: U.S Ryder Cup players will be paid $500,000 at Bethpage Black

U.S. Ryder Cup players will be paid for the first time in the biennial competition's 97-year history. 

The PGA of America confirmed the news on 16 December. 

No golfers asked to be compensated, according to the governing body. 

All 12 players who will tee it up in the showdown next September at Bethpage Black on the outskirts of New York will be paid $500,000 (£400,000) each. 

But, they will have to donate $300,000 of that figure to charity. 

Telegraph Sport were the first to report last month that the PGA of America were set to approve the package. 

It was widely assumed the governing body was waiting for Seth Waugh's replacement as chief executive to be named before voting on the controversial proposal. 

"The players and captains, past and present, are responsible for the Ryder Cup becoming the most special competition in golf and one of the most in-demand events on the international sports scene," the PGA of America said in a statement.

"While no players asked to be compensated, the PGA of America board of directors has voted to increase the allocation to the members of the US Ryder Cup team from $200,000 to be directed to charities - a figure unchanged since 1999 - to $500,000, with $300,000 of that to be directed to the charity or charities of the players' choice.

"The balance is a stipend.

"Golf is a long-established vehicle for good, and it's exciting to imagine the impact the members of the 2025 U,S. Ryder Cup team will deliver for worthy causes and communities across the country, including the many initiatives that support the growth of the game."

Last year's contest in Rome was overshadowed by a report that Patrick Cantlay was not wearing a Team USA cap as a protest for not being paid. 

Cantlay emphatically denied the report, although he refused to answer directly when asked if players should be paid at the Ryder Cup.

Over the last few weeks a number of high-profile players have commented on the topic. 

Rory McIlroy said last month he would pay to play in the Ryder Cup. 

His views were echoed by his teammates Shane Lowry and Justin Rose. 

Sergio Garcia, who has taken up his membership again with the DP World Tour with the hopes of making another appearance in the contest, also thought the idea was disgraceful. 

McIlroy said: "I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup."

"The two purest forms of competition in our game right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it's partly because of that, the purity of no money being involved."

Last week, Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig reported that a number of former U.S. Ryder Cup captains had written to the PGA of America to express their dismay at players being compensated. 

Telegraph Sport reported that one of those players who signed the letter was Tom Watson. 

Tiger Woods was also asked about the topic before the Hero World Challenge. 

Woods, who will turn 49 later this month, claimed each golfer should receive $5m each but with the stipulation it be donated to charitable causes. 

"We had the same conversation back in 1999," said Woods of the topic. 

"We didn't want to get paid. We wanted to give more money to charity, [but] the media turned it round against us and said we wanted to get paid.

"The Ryder Cup makes so much money, why can't we allocate it to various charities?

"I hope they [USA's players] get five million dollars each and donate it all to different charities. I think that's great. What's wrong with that?

"It's so hard to get on to that team - there are only 12 guys. What's wrong with being able to allocate more funds?"

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