Ryder Cup hero Tony Jacklin opens up on cash row and how he threatened to quit as captain

Ryder Cup postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Tony Jacklin will be forever remembered as the man who skippered Europe to Ryder Cup glory on American soil for the first time. But in his new book ‘Tony Jacklin: My Ryder Cup Journey’ he reveals how that historic win at Muirfield Village, Ohio back in 1987 almost did not happen. Jacklin lifts the lid on how a cash row threatened to strip Europe of some of their biggest names and how he threatened to quit as captain as the Americans, still smarting from their defeat at The Belfry, tried to tweak the tournament format in their favour.

That week has to go down as the best of my golfing life but, for two separate reasons, it could all have turned out so differently.

Firstly, and scarcely believable as it sounds now, there had been a move to replace superstars like Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer in my European team with a group of unknown club professionals.

Everything seemed to change after we won for the first time in 28 years at The Belfry in 1985. It was a case of ‘ka-ching, ka-ching’ because the British PGA now wanted more of the proceeds generated.

It got to the point where they threatened to send a team of British club pros to defend the trophy at Muirfield Village — it was that ridiculous.

The PGA demanded a 50-50 share of the proceeds. I argued for a 60-40 split in favour of the European Tour, and that was when PGA president Lord Derby turned around and said, “You’ve upset me.”

I said that I was sorry, but there’s no way the PGA should get 50 per cent. In fact, deep down, I thought they were entitled to less than 40.

The players, who of course are all European Tour members, never got involved in the arguments but when I think of the Ryder Cup, that discussion always comes to mind.

My team were out there at The Belfry in 1985, giving their all and putting their careers on the line.

In the end we settled on an acceptable 60-40 split but I’m not sure Lord Derby ever forgave me.

It became very clear at the time that it was all about money for the PGA because they could see how the Ryder Cup had suddenly taken off.

There were so many European players that had come on stream. It wouldn’t have been fair to the likes of Seve, Langer and later, Henrik Stenson, not to benefit from the competition.

The Tour gave me carte blanche to do what I wanted as captain.

They gave me the power, I insisted on a 60-40 split, and the Tour backed me.

I played in seven Ryder Cups as a player and money never entered my head. It was the same when I was captain. I can’t recall talking about money to any of my team during my time in charge.

I think we got about £2,000 in expenses back then and for the players, it was all about the matches.

Nowadays, the Ryder Cup is probably worth £100 million in total revenue. It’s a massive event. It’s grown to be so unbelievably successful, and everyone is so passionate about it.

The second reason why the week could have turned sour for me was that I would have played no part in the event if the European Tour had bowed to the demands of the PGA of America.

I wasn’t surprised in the least to hear three or four months after our victory at The Belfry that the Americans requested a change of format.

They always want to win, win, win — coming second doesn’t mean a jot to them.

After years and years of being battered, we had suddenly found a schedule of matches that made it easier for us to compete and now they wanted to shuffle the cards.

Money was driving the Americans on, too. They wanted to stretch the Ryder Cup from three to four days, knowing full well that would lead to extra revenue coming in.

When I was told of their wish to change the format, I was adamant and unambiguous with my response. I told the European Tour, “I’m gone if you agree to that, I’ll resign as captain.”

The Tour, to their credit, backed me 100 per cent. The PGA of America had dollar signs in front of their eyes, but we stood firm. We gave them an outright ‘no’ and the issue was never raised in my company again.

‘Tony Jacklin: My Ryder Cup Journey’, published by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, is available online from Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith and other leading outlets. Price £9.99.

Source: Read Full Article