Xander Schauffele Contract Dispute Nearly Cost Him His Ryder Cup Spot

Xander Shauffele Contract Dispute Nearly Cost Him His Ryder Cup Spot

Xander Schauffele was one of the six automatic qualifiers on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He was an integral part of the team but was almost pulled as a team member before heading to Marco Simone Golf and Country due to his player’s agreement with the PGA of America for the Ryder Cup.

According to the Times, Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay requested amendments be made to their player agreement, which included shutting off access to Netflix in Team USA’s locker room. The entire team and Captain Zach Johnson unanimously voted to deny cameras any access to the team’s space.

Schauffele’s spot on the team was reportedly threatened if he didn’t sign a player participation and benefits agreement.

How Xander Schauffele Almost Lost His Ryder Cup 2023 Spot

Schauffele’s dad, Stefan Schauffele told the NY Times that the PGA of America wasn’t even willing to talk about the amendments.

Stefan gave an interview in London with the NY Times, opening up about the situation.

“The PGA of America were not willing to even talk to us about [the amendments],” Stefan Schauffele told The Times. “It was very late in the schedule right before the team came here [to Rome] to practice because they had moved the deadline and they said, ‘If you don’t sign it by then, you’re off the team’, but they never gave us the contact information of their legal counsel.

“Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend [Sept. 2], finally, the head of the PGA of America got wind of this, because it was not him that was blocking it, and put our lawyers in contact with the PGA of America’s general counsel, and then it took a few hours to hash it out and it was fine. Then I received a message that Xander was back on the team. That you can quote. That’s the extent of this and I think it’s shameful.”

Did Netflix Drive A Wedge Between Team USA At The Ryder Cup?

This report comes day after there a rift among the U.S. Team which was led by Cantlay, who allegedly believed that players should be compensated for the Ryder Cup. Cantlay denied all allegations but there was drama surrounding Cantlay and Schauffele that news media outlets spun to drive a rift between the team.

Both Schauffle and Cantlay wanted to make changes to the agreement to not let Netflix cameras into Team U.S.’s room. The CEO of PGA of America, Seth Waugh followed stating that Netflix was going to be there but didn’t have access to the team room.

“Netflix is going to be there,” said Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America, told The AP. “I would say all things involving the team we leave to the team and the captain. I think there’s a sanctity to the team room, and the experience is important to them. It’s part of being a team, right? Netflix has been great for the game. They’re doing great things. The team collectively decided there are areas of privacy that need to be respected.”


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