The Ryder Cup has almost arrived, with both the United States and Europe having just stepped up their preparations for Bethpage Black.
The majority of the European Ryder Cup team took on the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week, with only Sepp Straka missing.
A similar scenario played out at the Procore Championship, where only Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele missed out.
And in an added bonus for captains Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald, it was Scottie Scheffler and Alex Noren who lifted the trophies.
Scheffler qualified automatically for the American Ryder Cup team, while Noren is one of Donald’s vice captains at Bethpage Black.
Former US Ryder Cup captain calls European golf fans a ‘bunch of wusses’
And a former American Ryder Cup captain has now added fuel to the fire ahead of the tournament, with Lanny Wadkins giving his take on European golf fans.
Asked on Golf Channel if he’s concerned crowd behaviour could cross the line in New York, he replied: “I hope not.
“I don’t think they ever have. I think in most parts they have been rowdy. But the crowds have always been rowdy.
READ MORE: Tyrrell Hatton shares how he feels about his golf swing ahead of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black
“I always find it very interesting that we never say a word about what happens to us when we are playing in Europe. I know I have been on the first tee as far back as 1985 and had the entire grandstand boo me.
“You showed a picture earlier in the day of a shot I’m chipping in at 18 playing with Payne Stewart as my partner, and they must be five or six people deep behind the green and everyone has their arms folded with nobody applauding my eagle chip going in. They wanted it to miss.
“We got the same treatment over there, we just never complained about it. Sometimes I think the Europeans are just a bunch of wusses and can’t handle the heat.”
What is Lanny Wadkins’ Ryder Cup record?
Wadkins’ comments certainly won’t go down well with European golf fans, but American fans may just be feeling the opposite.
It’s certain to already be a raucous atmosphere at Bethpage Black without any added intensity, which is sure to arrive as the event draws nearer.
And Ryder Cup veteran Wadkins has now truly got the ball rolling as he looks ahead to another US versus Europe clash.
Wadkins represented his side at the event eight times during his career, starting in 1977 and finishing in 1993.
Wadkins helped the United States to five victories during that spell, during which he posted a 20-11-3 record.
In 1995 he then made the transition to captain, but failed to prevent a defeat to Europe at Oak Hill Country Club.
It is, however, his feats as a Ryder Cup player that will be remembered most, with Wadkins sitting joint-third on the US’s all-time points list.
He is joined by Phil Mickelson on 21½ points, behind only Billy Casper and Arnold Palmer on 23½ and 23 respectively.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
