The Ryder Cup often proves to be golf's safe haven from money talk, however, the PGA of America has ensured that is not the case less than a year out from next year's event at Bethpage Black.
The venue was billed to be the perfect spot for Team USA to win back the title they lost at a whimper in Rome last year. No Ryder Cup is complete without an atmosphere, and a New York crowd was expected to provide exactly that when Luke Donald and co come to town next year.
Home advantage is absolutely pivotal in the matchplay event. Just one of the last eight Ryder Cups has been won by the away team, with the Europeans prevailing in the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012.
Despite firing in 2023 and reappointing Donald for the trip to foreign shores, the European title defense this time around will no doubt prove tough at a course and in front of a crowd that optimizes American golf. They have been given an early advantage 12 months out though, after ticket prices were revealed on Monday.
Social media was taken by storm after it was spotted on the PGA of America website that golf fans would have to pay a whopping $750 ($749.51 to be precise) per day between Friday and Saturday to watch the event play out. The eye-watering fee is yet another nail in the coffin of professional golf, which continues to find itself embroiled in a cash chase.
Yet again, the word "greed" seems to take precedence, which comes as a surprise with the Ryder Cup having previously prided itself on distancing itself from the ever-expanding importance of money in professional sport. Money talk was brought up again a year ago, in Italy with Team USA once again at the center.
A report from Sky Sports claimed that Patrick Cantlay was in protest over not being paid to compete for Team USA, causing a split in the American camp. The claims of a rift were quickly refuted by captain Zach Johnson, but Cantlay refused to comment on whether he felt he should be paid to compete.
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The Team USA star may feel even more aggrieved in 2025 when seeing what the PGA of America is charging fans to watch Cantlay and his teammates represent the American flag, without getting his fair share. For the PGA Tour star and his teammates though, there could be a further loss.
The hefty tag will no doubt see your average New Yorker or passionate golf fan priced out of the event, putting the predicted raucous atmosphere at risk. The vocal support of a New York crowd next fall was tipped to act as a 13th man for Keegan Bradley's team, but $750 tags provide a sucker punch to that.
If this is the case, Team USA bosses will only have themselves to blame. Compared to their European counterparts a year earlier, the DP World Tour opted to put a more modest £210 ($275) price tag on the three days of play, having priced Tuesday through to Thursday practice between £52 (£68)-£91 (£119).
Within the price range, the home team was able to build a typical European atmosphere which helped cheer Donald's players over the line. Did the PGA of America learn from this? No, clearly not, having hiked the price by nearly three times for American fans wanting to pledge the same backing behind their nation this time around.
Will the tickets sell like hotcakes? Yes. Will the PGA of America make their cash? Of course, they will. But this could come at a more important cost, and this cost is the Ryder Cup title.
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