Bringing the Ryder Cup to notoriously nasty Bethpage Black already was cause for concern. Imagine the most passionate, patriotic event in golf played before a flag-waving crowd that once harassed Sergio Garcia so badly he pointed at them with the wrong finger. The PGA of America took a step toward quashing the quibbling about whether players should be paid.
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BringingtheRyderCuptonotoriouslynastyBethpageBlackalreadywascauseforconcern.Imaginethemostpassionate,patrioticeventingolfplayedbeforeaflag-wavingcrowdthatonceharassedSergioGarciasobadlyhepointedatthemwiththewrongfinger.
Thiscouldmakethe1999matchesoutsideBostonlooklikearealteaparty.
AndnowaddmoneytotheequationandtheAmericanswillbeundermorepressurethanevertodeliverthat17-inchgoldtrophythehomecrowdexpectstowininSeptember.
ThePGAofAmericatookasteptowardquashingthequibblingaboutwhetherplayersshouldbepaid.Itdecidedonanewcompensationpackagethatkeepscharityattheforefront($300,000)andgivesplayersandthecaptain$200,000toletthemdecideifitshouldgointheirwalletsortoagoodcause.
U.S.captainKeeganBra
