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A Few Fans Tarnished the Ryder Cup
One of the more unfortunate
aspects of the Ryder Cup was
the inability of a few fans to
act in an appropriate manner.
The Europeans were guests
of the American Ryder Cup
Team, and as such, should
have been treated with the
upmost respect by every fan.
Golf is a game that prides itself
in its sportsmanship and fair
play. The competitors respect
each other and demonstrated
tremendous class whether
winning or losing a match.
It is indeed unfortunate that a
few misguided or over-served
fans became disruptive and
abusive. Their selfish display
of rude conduct affected the
festivities for the rest of the fans.
In his post-tournament press
comments, European Captain
Darren Clarke referred to a
situation on the course, when
a fan had yelled an obscenity
during Henrik Stenson’s back
swing. The fans watching
the match immediately
turned and pointed out
the perpetrator and he was
immediately escorted from
the grounds.
Sergio Garcia, always a target
of unruly fans, seemed to
be especially affected by
the boorish behavior of a
handful of fans. He assured
the assembled media that he
is now highly aware of his
lack of a major championship
victory.
Several of the rude comments
hurled at the European
players were truly obscene
and not representative of the
majority of fans that crowded
Hazeltine National Golf Club
every day.
Sergio even felt sorry for his
American girl friend, being
the target of and forced to
hear the off-color remarks
from the gallery.
The crowds were immense at
every session of the Ryder Cup
and the beer vendors were
experiencing active sales.
RoryMcIlroy understoodmany
of the comments, but did take
offense at one. He even went
into the crowd to confront the
fan and have him ejected.
In a Ryder Cup that saw
some of the best golf ever
witnessed, it is a shame that a
few unruly fans tarnished the
overall matches. The players
inside the ropes conducted
themselves with the best
sportsmanship possible and
adhered to the games rules of
fair play and competition.
Hopefully at the next Ryder
Cup at Whistling Straits in
2020, every fan will be more
responsible for their behavior.
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