Former Ryder Cup captain criticises greedy American golfers: "The players have so much leverage"

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has criticised high-profile American golfers for wanting 'astronomical' appearance fees to play tournaments outside of the US. 

McGinley never shies away from offering his two cents on any subject in the golf world and he explained his latest 'bug bear' during an appearance on the Off The Ball podcast.

The 58-year-old, who led Team Europe to victory at Gleneagles in 2014, said it's a "real shame" American golfers are reluctant to travel more as he believes the players would enjoy their experiences in Europe and beyond. 

Last week's Irish Open drew thousands of spectators to the K Club, though there was absolutely no surprise as to why. 

Masters champion Rory McIlroy headlined the field and even won the tournament after prevailing in a thrilling play-off over Sweden's Joakim Lagergren. 

American golfers in the field included major champions Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, though both players ply their trade in the LIV Golf League and their season has now concluded. 

Would that have been the case had they not decamped to the PIF-backed breakaway?

"The players have so much leverage, they are making so much money, they can dictate their own schedules and a lot of them don't want to leave America," McGinley told the pod.

"It is a real shame because I know back in the day at the Irish Open, I know they used to pay appearance money and that's okay.

"The problem is at the top of the game the appearance money that the top players want to come and play something like the Irish Open is just astronomical that it's just not economically viable that they are making so much money everywhere else. 

"As a result, the top players, particularly the American ones, don't come and travel enough. It’s a real shame because I think they would really enjoy it."

McGinley said he believes it would benefit American players' games and their families would enjoy "what we have to give on the European Tour". 

"We get criticised a lot on the European Tour but culturally we are phenomenal and arguably the best tour in the world culturally and it's a shame we don’t have more of the world’s very, very top players coming to play it," he said. 

McGinley's comments were made ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. 

Billy Horschel, who counts the DP World Tour's flagship event as one of his favourites, returns to defend his trophy. 

The aforementioned Koepka and Reed are both in the field. 

The majority of Keegan Bradley's US Ryder Cup team are teeing it up at the Procore Championship in Napa. 

Xander Schauffele is the only member of the 12-man squad who isn't involved.