PGA of America president Don Rea Jr., who initially compared vitriolic comments at the Ryder Cup with what could be heard at a youth soccer game, finally apologized Thursday in an email to the 30,000-plus golf professionals he was elected to serve.
Europe built a record lead after two days and held on for a 15-13 victory — its six in the last eight Ryder Cups — but the event was marred by a gallery that made it personal and profane.
The PGA of America has been reeling from its lack of response to behavior at Bethpage Black, which began as early as Friday morning when a small section of fans chanted, “(Expletive) you, Rory,” upon seeing Rory McIlroy’s image on a video screen from the practice range.
It only got worse, with vulgar language directed at European players, video of a beer being slapped out of someone’s hand toward McIlroy’s wife, and a comedian hired to lead cheers on the first tee getting involved in the expletive-laden chant toward McIlroy.
Rea said in a BBC interview Sunday morning, “You’ve got 50,000 people here that are really excited, and heck, you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things.”
He went on to say the behavior was distracting American players because they had to spend energy helping to control the crowd.
The Associated Press obtained his letter sent to PGA of America members that began, “Let me begin with what we must own. While the competition was spirited — especially with the U.S. team’s rally on Sunday afternoon — some fan behavior clearly crossed the line.”
“It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA of America golf professionals,” Rea wrote. “We condemn that behavior unequivocally.”
The abuse was such that McIlroy began pushing back, telling one spectator to “shut the (expletive) up” during a foursomes match Saturday morning. McIlroy and Shane Lowry each gave it back to the gallery during their fourballs victory that afternoon.
Rea also said during his BBC interview when asked directly about the abuse hurled toward McIlroy, “I haven’t heard some of that. I’m sure it happened. It happens when we’re over in Rome on the other side, and Rory understands. Things like that are going to happen.