Ryder Cup legend: It'll be "b----- wonderful" when unpaid Europe win at Bethpage

European Ryder Cup legend Tony Jacklin has predicted Luke Donald's dozen will prevail at Bethpage Black in New York.

21 Sep 2025

European Ryder Cup legend Tony Jacklin says it will be "bloody wonderful" when Europe's unpaid dozen prevail in New York.

Anticipation is slowly building for the 45th edition of the matches next week at Bethpage Black.

Keegan Bradley's dozen are the heavy favourites to triumph and win back the Cup two years after their five-point defeat in Italy.

The general consensus, though, is that there will almost certainly be some controversy over the three-day biennial contest.

An invigorated Rory McIlroy has claimed a flashpoint is inevitable as he fired back at Bryson DeChambeau.

Robert MacIntyre, too, has also demonstrated he's not afraid to get fire back at lairy spectators.

The European fans in attendance are almost certain to give the US players an earful over the fact they are being compensated for the first time in 98 years.

Each player will receive a "stipend" of $500,000, with $300,000 going to charity.

Former PGA Tour winner turned Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee was among those who blasted Bradley's dozen over their "demand" to be paid.

"Asking to be paid for the privilege of representing your country is antithetical to the honour of it," Chamblee said.

Jacklin, too, also appears to be unhappy with the situation.

In a wide-ranging interview with Telegraph Sport, Jacklin has also hit out at the "sheer greed".

Jacklin did admit, though, that had LIV Golf been around in his pomp he almost certainly would have defected for $100m.

But the Ryder Cup is about so much more and we should not lose sight of that, Jacklin said.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰.𝗰𝗼𝗺 (@golfmagic)

"The perceived wisdom seems to be that the Europe Ryder Cup makes a few million in spin-offs," he told the publication. "I can tell you I never saw any of that.

"Not anything even anything remotely like that. And for the first time, just through sheer greed, each member of the US team will get $500,000, but $300,000 must go to charity.

"That leaves them with $200,000 and people are saying, 'that's a piffling amount for those multi-millionaires'.

"Piffling! I never got a cheque so big. But that's the way it is. Now they are going off to LIV for $100m. Would I have gone?

"It's hard to put my feet in those shoes, but probably, yes. Yet what I would say is that there is no buying history and we should we all be reminded of that at Bethpage.

"When Europe win, money won’t mean a thing – and it will be bloody wonderful."

"I can't wait to see how it all plays out"

Jacklin told TS he'll be at the Ryder Cup on Wednesday but will then watch it all unfold from the comfort of his living room.

He believes the US team are "so sure" they are going to win.

"Luke's a smart cookie and I've had chats with him," he said of Donald.

"It just comes down to intelligent decisions and knowing what this match always comes down to.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰.𝗰𝗼𝗺 (@golfmagic)

"I've always thought and still think that Americans come to defend – and we come to win. That's the way Europe thinks.

"We've got nothing to lose in a way because they're so sure they're going to win.

"All the pressure's on them, just because they are American and they expected to win. It’s the central part of the entire concept of the Ryder Cup and I can't wait to see how it plays out again."

The 2025 Ryder Cup gets underway next Friday.

Keep checking GolfMagic for all the latest news, opinion and analysis.