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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — United States Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley pushed back against the notion that the competition means more to Europe now that the U.S. team is set to be compensated for the event by the PGA of America, while the Europeans will not receive a personal financial reward.

“I don’t really get that,” Bradley said during Monday’s news conference. “I think the goal here was that the charity dollars hadn’t been raised in 25, 26 years, and that’s what we started out doing.”

Bradley said the PGA of America approached him with the idea of compensating players and asked him to help come up with the best approach. Last November, the PGA of America voted to give the 12 players and Bradley $300,000 to donate to a charity of their choice and a $200,000 stipend.

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Bradley said he will donate all of his compensation to charity.

“[PGA of America] wanted to bring the Ryder Cup into the present day. The charity dollars hadn’t changed since 1999,” Bradley said. “And they asked me to sort of shepherd their way into making it into 2025.”

In December, U.S. team member Xander Schauffele told the Associated Press that, despite the new structure, the plan was for players not to get a single dime.

“I just see it as a whole lot of money going to charity and we’re going to take a lot of crap,” Schauffele told the AP.

When Bradley was asked Monday whether the rest of the team was also donating their entire payment to charity, he did not want to elaborate.

“I think, for everyone, it’s a personal decision,” Bradley said. “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.”

Ahead of this week, Donald was asked by British media if the atmosphere at Bethpage could turn sour given the context of American players being paid.

“We all know how high the ticket prices are, and it’s going to be an expensive trip out for a family of four,” Donald said. “If the U.S. players are getting paid a stipend, or whatever it is, and they aren’t performing, the New Yorkers could make them know about it.”

Donald, who also captained the Europeans to their 2023 win in Rome, said that when he was informed about potential U.S. player compensation last year, he wanted to get ahead of it and reached out to European players to ask for their thoughts.

“Everyone was like, ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money for that event,'” Donald said. “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.”

When pressed on the matter and the different approaches between teams, Bradley reiterated Monday that he believes his players will “do the right thing.”

“I’m not concerned about what Europe does or what they think. I’m concerned about what my team is doing,” Bradley said. “We copied a lot of what the Presidents Cup does. We did the best we could. You can say [it means more to Europe], but I think that the players are really good people and are going to do a lot of good things.”

The event begins Friday. The Europeans are vying to be the first team to win the Ryder Cup on away soil since they did it in 2012 at Medinah Country Club.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – U.S. captain Keegan Bradley on Monday defended the PGA of America’s decision to pay American players a stipend to play in the Ryder Cup.

This year, for the first time, each U.S. player will receive a $200,000 stipend in addition to $300,000 that will be distributed to charity.

That’s an increase from the $200,000 that was strictly earmarked for charity previously. It’s a similar payment scheme to what the PGA Tour has for Presidents Cup participants.

Bradley has already said that he will donate the entirety of his $500,000 bonus. He did not disclose how many of the U.S. players will follow suit, saying it’s a “personal decision.â€

“The PGA of America asked me to help out with this,†Bradley said, “and this is the best way we came up with to do it.â€

Added PGA CEO Derek Sprague on Monday’s “Live From the Ryder Cup”: “[Bradley] wanted to do more good with the money, so that’s why there is $300,000 out of the $500,000 allocation going to charity. … At the end of the day, charity’s going to win again.â€

The pay-for-play issue dates to the 1999 matches but came under the spotlight once again two years ago in Rome, with reports that U.S. players wanted to be compensated for participating in the PGA’s biggest money-making event.

Bradley was asked four questions – by two U.K.-based journalists – about the new plan, and if it creates a perception that it “means more†to the European players because they’re not being paid to play.

On the first official day of Ryder Cup week, as his team began its preparations in earnest, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley admitted Monday that he thought about playing “every second.â€

“Well, I’m not concerned about what Europe does or what they think. I’m concerned about what my team is doing,†Bradley said. “We did the best we could, and I think a lot of good is going to come from this. I think the players are going to do a lot of good with this money, and I think it’s great.â€

European captain Luke Donald was seated beside Bradley on Monday afternoon but did not receive any questions about the Americans’ new monetary arrangement.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – On the first official day of Ryder Cup week, as his team began its preparations in earnest, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley admitted Monday that he thought about playing “every second.â€

But that doesn’t mean that he’s riddled with regret after deciding not to pick himself to handle dual roles this week.

“I’ve also thought about how impossible it would be,†he said.

“I was picked to do this job as captain, and there’s been certain things that I’ve done during the week or lead-up that if I was playing, I don’t think I could have done at the level that I needed to do them at.â€

Bradley has known for more than a month that he wouldn’t be among the 12 players competing here at Bethpage Black. After winning the Travelers Championship in June, he failed to sustain his level of play over the past few months and opted to focus solely on his duties as the captain.

In his press conference last month announcing his picks, Bradley said it was devastating, personally, to come to that conclusion. But he expanded Monday on why it was the right call.

“I feel like I’ve been called for a bigger cause here, to help our guys get ready to play and play at the highest level,†he said. “In the back of my mind, I’m always thinking, ‘I could have been out there.’ But ultimately, I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed being the captain and how I’ve enjoyed not having to worry about getting to sleep and getting my rest, or how I haven’t had to think about what time I’m going to go practice or meet my coach and then meet the guys. It simplified things a lot for me.â€

It’s also given Bradley time to fine-tune his messaging and week-of activities that he hopes will put his team in the best position to succeed and also create (what could be for some) a once-in-a-career experience.

From Scottie Scheffler and the automatic qualifiers to Keegan Bradley’s six captain’s picks, here’s who will represent the U.S. at Bethpage Black.

One of those indelible moments came on Monday morning, when he gathered all members of Team USA on the first tee, before the 18-hole practice round and without crowds, to play the national anthem and soak in the experience.

“Every second that the guys are together and can have a powerful moment, I think it brings them closer together,†Bradley said. “I had this vision of doing that for about a year, and to be out there and see it and see how emotional the guys got was a really special time for our team.â€

After that, the American team went out in three groups of four on Monday morning: Bryson DeChambeau, Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young; Scottie Scheffler, Russell Henley, Harris English and J.J. Spaun; and Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns.

When it comes to Bethpage Black, one former U.S. Ryder Cup player and captain isn’t holding any punches.

During a recent appearance on Trey Wingo’s “Straight Facts Homie!†podcast, Azinger lobbed criticism at the famed Long Island muni, which will host its first Ryder Cup after previously hosting several majors. Azinger not only shared his dislike for the Black Course, but he also claimed that the current U.S. players “don’t love†and “don’t know†the layout.

“I really don’t like Bethpage Black,†said Azinger, the 2008 U.S. captain who competed on four other teams. “There’s a lot of awkward angles, downhill tee shots to fairways that angle away, uphill second shots where you can’t see the landing area. It’s just hard, and you cannot fluke your way around there.â€

Aside from Cameron Young, who grew up in Scarsdale, New York, and won a New York State Open at Bethpage, the Americans own, at best, limited experience around the Black Course, which hosted the 2019 PGA Championship. That, Azinger says, isn’t ideal, and he argues that it negates much of the home-course advantage, even if recent American venues, like Whistling Straits and Hazeltine, have been similarly foreign to players and every one of the 12 European players this year competes mostly on the PGA Tour.

“We don’t know the course,†Azinger said. “I think one of the biggest mistakes that the American Ryder Cup team always seems to make, or the PGA of America, is they go to courses that we’re not familiar with.â€

For the record, each of the last six U.S. Ryder Cup venues, including Bethpage, hosted one major between six and eight years prior. And when it comes to that 2019 PGA, this U.S. team boasts eight players who teed it up then, compared to seven for their European counterparts.

Though Young has professed his love for Bethpage, Azinger added that Young’s teammates don’t share that fondness: “I feel like Keegan’s going to have to get these guys on a mission and on a mission quickly and single-minded to figure out how to fall in love with Bethpage Black. I guarantee you they don’t love it either. Me and you don’t love it. They don’t love it. Europe doesn’t care what the course is. Our guys might.â€

Azinger broached several topics, including his belief that the Long Island crowd could turn quickly on the home team.

“I feel if the U.S. gets off to a bad start, even the crowd can be volatile there,†Azinger said. “That’s why I told Keegan right out of the gate, ‘Buddy, you gotta win the crowd.’â€

The U.S. Ryder Cup team is looking to continue the home advantage in this biennial competition as it prepares to win back the cup on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York.

After six players automatically qualified for the matches, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley finalized his team with six picks.

Here’s a look at the home team, which hasn’t lost a cup since the Americans were stunned by Europe in the “Miracle at Medinah.â€

Sep 22, 2025, 05:03 AM ET

Luke Donald has claimed that American fans at Bethpage Black could turn on Team USA’s players because they are being paid to take part.

“That could happen,” Donald told British media when asked if the atmosphere in Farmingdale, New York could turn sour. “We all know how high the ticket prices are, and it’s going to be an expensive trip out for a family of four. If the U.S. players are getting paid a stipend, or whatever it is, and they aren’t performing, the New Yorkers could make them know about it.”

Team USA’s players and captain will each receive $500,000 this week — $300,000 of which must be donated to charity — whereas Team Europe will not get a personal financial reward.

“I wanted to get ahead of this when I first heard about it last year and looked like it was likely going to happen,” Donald said. “I reached out to all the 12 guys from Rome to see how they felt. Their voices are important. Everyone was like: ‘We haven’t even considered playing for money for that event.’

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“We just don’t see that. We understand what it represents. We have a great purpose and that’s really enough for us. We understand that the money raised goes to help the European Tour Group and the grassroots.

“We talk a lot about this, we are here to inspire the next generation. So this money is going to good things. It will hopefully help future Ryder Cup players become great players. I think our purpose, why we play the Ryder Cup, is pretty strong and that’s enough for that week.

“It speaks to what the Ryder Cup means to these guys. 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.”

The Ryder Cup begins on Friday.

Sep 21, 2025, 09:46 AM ET

SHENZHEN, China — Jasmine Paolini beat Jessica Pegula on the fourth match point as defending champion Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup with a comprehensive victory over the United States on Sunday.

Italy won both singles ties in straight sets, meaning there was no need for a decisive doubles match. The No. 8-ranked Paolini beat seventh-ranked Pegula 6-4, 6-2 after No. 91 Elisabetta Cocciaretto won 6-4, 6-4 against Emma Navarro, breaking her serve three times at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center Arena in China.

Paolini broke Pegula’s serve with a two-handed backhand down the line to take the first set. But with Paolini serving for the match at 5-1, she wavered a little. Pegula saved three match points, and then two unforced errors from Paolini allowed Pegula to break back to 5-2 down.

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A strong looping forehand gave Paolini — the runner-up at the French Open and Wimbledon last year — a fourth match point, and she took it, clinching victory when Pegula’s two-handed backhand clipped the net and landed wide.

Paolini raised her arms in the air then walked over to hug her teammates. All the staff members joined them on the court as they danced in a circle before celebrating with blue-shirted, flag-waving Italy fans.

Pegula and Navarro each came from a set down to defeat Britain and reach the final.

But not this time.

Italy boasted a doubles pairing of Olympic champions Paolini and Sara Errani, who also won the French Open doubles together this year. They would have faced Pegula and top-ranked doubles player Taylor Townsend in what might have been an exciting trophy decider.

The BJK Cup was formerly known as the Fed Cup. The United States is the most successful team as an 18-time winner but has not held the title since 2017.

Italy was contesting its third straight final and clinched its sixth title. The Americans’ previous final came in 2018.

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