Columnist Peter Benton: Ryder players should not fret about money

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

The Ryder Cup, scheduled for Sept. 20-26 at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., is generating all sorts of news these days (including much griping from a couple of our top multi-millionaire professionals regarding lack of compensation for their efforts), so I just had to add my two cents' worth.

It is estimated that this year's Ryder Cup will generate the staggering figure of $63 million.

That money breaks down to something like this: Corporate tents, $16.3 million; corporate tables, $15.6 million; television, $13 million; merchandising, $8 million; ticket sales, $5 million; food and beverage, $3 million; and program advertising, $2 million.

Expenses for the event will total approximately $35 million, which means a profit of about $28 million -- $6 million of which is earmarked for The Country Club and the balance going to, I assume, the PGA of America.

Each of the 12 players selected to the U.S. team receives $5,000. In addition, their travel, food and accommodation is paid by the PGA (as is that of their wives), an extensive wardrobe is provided and their caddie fees are taken care of.

When this part-time scribe began reading that players wanted remuneration of greater significance for their efforts, I could not help but think greed.

However, it appears that the money they would like for being "exploited" in the Ryder Cup may not necessarily go into their own pockets but possibly to a charity of their choice. Admittedly, I have read that David Duval and Tiger Woods are the only malcontents at this stage, although Jack Nicklaus and Mark O'Meara have broached the subject before.

On the flip side, you have the likes of Tom Lehman, Payne Stewart and Justin Leonard, who would all but pay to get on the team -- and they, gang, are my kind of guys.

Surely there can be no greater thrill than representing your country, being announced to the world as your country's flag is being raised and the national anthem is played. Money would surely be the last thing on my mind, and why some of our best (and wealthiest) players would quibble over a couple of hundred thousand dollars, which they could conceivably win in the following month anyway, is completely beyond me.

Obviously they have not given a thought to giving back to the sport that has been so good and incredibly profitable for them.

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