Whodunit? Keegan Bradley ‘shocked’ somebody is leaking private Ryder Cup talks

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley says he is ‘disappointed’ somebody decided to leak the news the PGA of America are planning to pay golfers at Bethpage Black.

Keegan Bradley says he’s ‘shocked’ and ‘disappointed’ somebody decided to tell media the PGA of America are considering paying U.S. golfers for the first time in Ryder Cup history at Bethpage Black. 

Telegraph Sport were the first to report the 12 players representing the red, white and blue next September in New York will be compensated to the tune of $400,000.

In its 97-year history, players have never received money for playing for their respective teams.

Bradley told Sports Illustrated at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which was won emphatically by Scottie Scheffler, that he was disappointed the payment talks were leaked.

Although he went to great lengths to explain that nothing has been finalised yet.

To be honest with you, there’s not much to talk about,” he told SI. “These leaks that came out were leaks.”

“I was shocked to see the leaks, as was the PGA of America. As was everybody involved. There’s been nothing that’s been finalised, done.

“This is all speculation at this point.”

He added: “I was definitely disappointed that someone leaked out that information. That was a shock, for sure.”

Tiger Woods hosted the event in Albany.

Unsurprisingly, the 15-time major champion was pressed on his opinion on the touchy subject.

Woods said conversations were held about compensating players in the Ryder Cup in 1999.

But the 48-year-old insisted that was only to be able to give more money to charity.

And he blamed the media for ‘turning it around against us’.

“We didn’t want to get paid,” he said.

We wanted to give more money to charity, [but] the media turned it round against us and said we wanted to get paid.

“The Ryder Cup makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities?

“I hope they [USA’s players] get five million dollars each and donate it all to different charities. I think that’s great. What’s wrong with that?

It’s so hard to get on to that team – there are only 12 guys. What’s wrong with being able to allocate more funds?”

European Ryder Cup members, past and present, have insisted no money should exchange hands.

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Rory McIlroy has said he would pay to play in the contest, as would Shane Lowry.

Justin Rose also had some strong words to say about this recently, as did Sergio Garcia.

Pressed on the European views, Woods added: “That’s fine, that’s their right to say.

If the Europeans want to pay to be in the Ryder Cup then that’s their decision, that’s their team.

“I know once on European soil it subsidises most of their tour, so it is a big event for the European tour. If they want to pay to be in it, so be it.”

One player that is yet to talk about this in great detail is Patrick Cantlay.

Cantlay was ridiculed in Italy last September and became somewhat of a pantomime villain.

It was alleged that Cantlay didn’t wear a Team USA cap in protest about not being paid. He denied this was the case.

He refused to give a straight answer when he was asked whether Ryder Cuppers should be paid, though.

And he doubled down when asked about it all in Albany, saying that he wasn’t going to fall into ‘the media narrative’.

“My thoughts on the Ryder Cup are really simple,” he said.

“I’m there to represent my country and I’m there to win points for my team-mates and that’s it.”

“I think that’s a media narrative and I’m not going to fall into that,” he added when asked whether players should be compensated.