By Craig Swan

Copyright dailyrecord

Darren Clarke believes Europe’s togetherness is priceless as he hit out at American payments at The Ryder Cup. For the first time in history, United States players and captain Keegan Bradley will get cash for being at Bethpage. Each individual will receive $500,000 with $300,000 going to charity and the rest, if desired, to keep. Clarke is uneasy with that scenario and said: “No, 100 percent that does not sit well with me. You can ask any of those guys in that European team would they accept money. Everyone to a T will say no. “It’s not about money. That’s not what the Ryder Cup’s about. The Ryder Cup was never about money. The Europeans would live and die just to make the team. “If you look at Matt Wallace’s reaction knowing he was just going to miss out, that tells you all about what it means to the Europeans to make the team. “I’m not demeaning any of the Americans’ disappointment not making the team or whatever, but the money just doesn’t sit right with me. As a European player, when asked about money, that does not come into the equation. “Maybe that’s why they’re more of a team. They pull so hard for each other that the money is completely irrelevant to what they’re trying to achieve.” Clarke is a legend of The Ryder Cup and was on the winning side for four of his five playing outings. However, as captain at Hazeltine in 2016, his team had no answer to the hosts and he understands the challenges facing Luke Donald’s boys in New York. Clarke told Golf Channel: “Momentum is huge in the Ryder Cup. It’s massive. That particular week was a tough week for us Europeans in Hazeltine. The American guys played wonderfully well. “You do all your prep. You do as much as you possibly can. Everybody does. But then you’re either a wonderful captain because you won or you’re an awful captain because you lost. That’s part of the whole gig. “ Some of the stick that Zach Johnson got the last time in Rome was very unfounded because the guys are trying as hard as they can. “You’re a proud professional golfer and to be given the honour of being a Ryder Cup captain means that you’ve achieved something in the game. As such, you’re a competitor and you don’t want to lose. “Unfortunately, one team is going to play great and the other just not quite as good as the other one. So the margins are so fine. “It seems to be, especially in recent times, that the home advantage turns into a massive change in the result.” Rory McIlroy has acknowledged the difficulty in winning away and Clarke added: “The home support is a huge part of the Ryder Cup. We as players and captains and vice-captains know what it’s going to be like. It’s patriotic. “The Americans come to Europe and it’s ole, ole, ole. All the home people, the Europeans, are going like that. “We go to America, it’s USA, USA, USA. And that’s what it should be. “Occasionally it crosses the line. Occasionally it gets personal. Monty [Colin Montgomerie] got ridiculous abuse at Brookline. It was just unfair and harsh with what he got. “But being an away team, that’s part of it. That’s another reason why it’s so difficult to win on the road. “New Yorkers, they’re fans, they’re passionate, they’re supportive, they’re loud. That’s what they do and Bethpage is going to be that way. “Keegan and his team are going to be desperate to try and win. If they get off to a great start, then brilliant. If they don’t, then we’ll see how the crowd reacts. “But that home support, the 13th man, whatever way you want to call it, it makes a difference. It truly does.”