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Team USA's Ryder Cup $500k salary skewered after brutal morning session

Team USA's controversial compensation for the 2025 Ryder Cup is under the microscope after getting dominated by Team Europe, who gets paid nothing.
Matthew Graham|
Sept. 26, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team Europe golfer Rory McIlroy celebrates after winning their match on the fourteenth hole on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Sept. 26, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team Europe golfer Rory McIlroy celebrates after winning their match on the fourteenth hole on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. | Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

The only thing worse than all of the commercials for NBC Sports' coverage of the 2025 Ryder Cup was Team USA's performance.

After getting blown out in Italy in 2023 after getting swept during the first morning session 4-0, Team Europe almost repeated the feat on away soil at the shockingly muted Bethpage Black outside of New York City in Farmingdale, with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay salvaging a point late to survive 3-1.

RELATED: Bryson DeChambeau girlfriend mystery continues at 2025 Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy
Sept. 26, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team Europe golfer Rory McIlroy celebrates after winning their match on the fourteenth hole on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. | Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

Naturally, the $500k controversial compensation for Team USA was under the microscope again, and golf reporter Claire Rogers had a burn that was the common refrain on social media, along with NBC Sports' brutal coverage.

RELATED: Meet all 2025 Team USA Ryder Cup WAGs led by Kat Morikawa, Meredith Scheffler

NBA GOAT and Jordan brand billionaire Michael Jordan was in attendance, and hopefully he wasn't crying like his famous meme. But after that performance, especially from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Jordan's good buddy Justin Thomas, he might have been.

RELATED: Rory McIlroy's wife Erica Stoll stuns in elegant black dress at Ryder Cup Gala

Captain Keegan Bradley, who many thought should be playing too, is hoping that President Donald Trump attending the afternoon session can change their luck.

"We just had the President fly over in his Air Force One," Bradley said. "So I have a feeling things will change here."

RELATED: Tommy Fleetwood's much older wife Clare in 2025 Ryder Cup glare at unforgiving NYC

For $500k just to show up, let's hope so.

Bryson DeChambeau
Sept. 26, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team USA golfer Bryson DeChambeau celebrates after his putt on the first green on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. | Brendan Mcdermid-Reuters via Imagn Images

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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