The experience of this year’s Ryder Cup wasn’t that great for Team US. Apart from losing to the opponents, there has also been much controversy in Rome. And the biggest drama that gained attraction was Patrick Cantlay not wearing a hat at the event. 

This fact coupled with Cantlay’s statement on the subject received much media coverage. However, paying no heed to these rumors, Patrick took the biggest step of his life and got married to partner Nikki Guidish after the event got over. But as the days pass, more information on the controversy is coming out. Let’s find out why Cantlay refused to wear the hat.

What happened at Marco Simone with Patrick Cantlay?

Right now Cantlay is a happy man who has just read his vows on the alter to Nikki and tied the knot. But last week things were quite different. When Team US stepped into Marco Simone on September 29, every golfer except for Cantlay was wearing the blue-and-white trucker hat with the name USA on the panel above its brim. On seeing this NBC Sports reporter and interviewer Steve Sands reportedly quickly asked him “No hat?”

In his response, Patrick pointed toward Julius Mason, who is a longtime PGA of America public relations executive, and said, “I’ll wear a hat when I’m paid to be here like he is,” and headed to play the game. This statement of Cantlay spread like wildfire with people choosing their own interpretation of it.

The next day, a bomb was dropped by Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir who tweeted: “Understand from several sources that the US team room is fractured, a split led predominantly by Patrick Cantlay. Cantlay believes players should be paid to participate in the Ryder Cup, and is demonstrating his frustration at not being paid by refusing to wear a team cap.” This tweet caused chaos and gave birth to the term Hat Gate.

During the event, Cantlay was again asked about the absence of a hat. He replied: “It just doesn’t fit. “I didn’t wear it at Whistling Straits because the hat just doesn’t fit. That’s really all it is.” But by then, the matter had been much ignited in the media.

Also Read – Is Patrick Cantlay Married? Everything You Need to Know About His Wife

Cantlay blows away controversy by calling it false

Later Cantlay reacted on the matter by calling it totally false. He added, “There hasn’t been one word of [team division] all week. The U.S. team has been close all week. It’s just outright lies.”. His representative also communicated the same message. But the fire had spread and the damage was done. 

For this year, the players received $200,000 from the PGA of America which was further donated to charities. The game has been played since 1927 but there has never been any monetary compensation. Could that change after this?

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