Xander Schauffele: Media ‘skewed’ controversial Ryder Cup pay comments

The Ryder Cup ended nearly three weeks ago, but the debate surrounding remuneration for players in the contest rumbles on.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were at the centre of the drama in an emotionally-charged match at Marco Simone, following one report alleging the duo were ostracised from the rest of the US locker room.

A Sky Sports report claimed Cantlay went hatless in Rome as a form of protest at not being sufficiently compensated for competing in the biennial event.

That notion was, of course, denied by Cantlay.

But a report from Fire Pit Collective’s Michael Bamberger reported that three people heard Cantlay say on the first tee; “I’ll wear a hat when I’m paid to be here like he is”, while motioning towards a PGA of America official.

Meanwhile, Schauffele’s father Stefan stoked the fire further in the fallout to the American defeat when he told The Times that his son was almost booted out of the Ryder Cup team over a contract dispute about a player participation and benefit agreement.

Stefan Schauffele also told reporters that, “if the PGA of America is a for-profit organisation, they need to have the players share in that profit.

“Instead of being so damn intransparent about it, they should reveal the numbers. And then we should we should go to the table and talk.”

Now, Schauffele has sought to clarify those comments made by his father.

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“If you look at what he said, I wasn’t super fired up that he was speaking to media just because I know how things get twisted,” Schauffele said, speaking ahead of the Zozo Championship in Japan.

“I had to look back at what he said specifically, and he specifically said that if the tournament’s for-profit, then players should get paid. He also said that if its charitable – it should be a charitable event most likely and that everything should get donated.

“I don’t know, when I look back on what he said, I think the headlines sort of skewed obviously what he was trying to say, but I don’t think he ever really spoke directly to what you’re referring to in terms of playing getting paid. He just said it should be either or, not really as confusing as it is.”