• US Ryder Cup players will donate earnings to charity instead of keeping them.
• Each player receives $500,000, with $300,000 designated for charitable contributions.
• Players like Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay spoke about their plans to support local charities.
• Captain Keegan Bradley defended the new payment structure amid criticism from European players.
• The initiative has sparked debate, but players affirm it reflects their commitment to social responsibility.

For the first time in Ryder Cup history, each member of Team USA will receive a financial stipend for their participation, amounting to a total of $500,000 per player, with $300,000 specifically earmarked for charity. Prominent players, including world number one Scottie Scheffler and captain Keegan Bradley, have expressed their intentions to donate their entire earnings to charity, countering criticism surrounding the payments. This adjustment marks the first increase in charity donations since 1999, designed to modernize Ryder Cup practices according to BBC, India Times, and Reuters.

Scheffler stated he plans to support local organizations in Dallas and emphasized that he prefers not to announce his charitable actions for public recognition. "I think it's a really cool thing that the PGA of America has empowered us to do," he remarked. His sentiments were echoed by fellow player Xander Schauffele, who expressed pride in representing the US and intends to contribute his stipend to charities supporting local communities as well. "This is an opportunity to do some good, which isn't always the case," Schauffele noted, emphasizing a positive outlook on the payments and their impact on charitable causes, according to BBC, India Times, and Reuters.

In light of some backlash regarding the stipend, US captain Keegan Bradley defended the initiative, arguing it brings the tournament into "today's age." The decision to introduce payments sparked debate because the European Ryder Cup players do not receive financial compensation for their participation. Bradley also announced his commitment to donate a portion of his earnings, stating that the players' choice to give back reinforces the spirit of the Ryder Cup, even as critics likened the decision to a deviation from traditional values, as noted by BBC and Reuters.

Patrick Cantlay, who faced scrutiny during the previous Ryder Cup for not wearing a team hat, clarified that his focus remains on giving back this time around. He, too, is set to donate his earnings, emphasizing the importance of charitable efforts in such events. This commitment highlights a collective approach among US players to use their newfound financial support to benefit local communities, contrary to some voices suggesting that being paid diminishes the event's honor, according to India Times, and Reuters.