Two years after playing the role of foil in Rome, Patrick Cantlay arrived in the interview room Tuesday morning at Bethpage Black looking a little different.
This time, he was wearing a hat.
By now, most are aware of the controversy that boiled over at that 2023 Ryder Cup, where Cantlay didn’t wear a hat all week, reportedly in protest for players not being paid separate from their $200,000 charity stipend. Cantlay, of course, has denied the notion from the start.
“Like I’ve said a million times, the hat didn’t fit last year,” Cantlay said on Tuesday, “and this year we worked with them to make sure we had one, and we got one, so we’re good.”
While Cantlay has suitable headwear this week on Long Island, he and his teammates will also be compensated more for their efforts – now a $300,000 charity payment in addition to a $200,000 stipend that can be used however players wish.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and Scottie Scheffler were among the Americans who were asked about the financial change. Both were surprisingly guarded in sharing their plans for the extra wages.
Cantlay had no such reservations, revealing he’d donate the entirety of his half-million to his foundation, which served multiple charities, including First Responders Children’s Foundation, SCPGA Junior Tour, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Folds of Honor.
“I’m excited about our continued partnership with those organizations,” Cantlay said. “They do such fantastic work, and a lot of their work is really important to me. I grew up playing Southern California junior golf on that SCPGA Junior Tour. My parents would drive me to events on the weekends, and if I was lucky, I’d get to skip school on Friday to play a practice round. That’s where I learned to love to play competitive golf. If I can give back to organizations that have helped make me who I am today, hopefully someone growing up in Southern California gets that opportunity and can follow their dreams as well.”
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