The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is now a memory for us all but the issues that came with the tournament in New York have led Gary Player to call for drastic action.
While we all knew that the crowds inside Bethpage were going to be hot, what we saw in the end were some of the most unsavoury scenes we’ve seen in golf.
American fans effectively stepped over the mark on more than one occasion and the likes of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were subjected to personal insults that went too far.
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Now, Gary Player has suggested that things have gone so far that the tournament itself could be gotten rid of.
Why Gary Player wants the Ryder Cup to be scrapped
Being ineligible to play in the Ryder Cup, Gary Player is one of the top golfers of all-time who hasn’t got to experience the thrill of the Europe v USA event.
However, like many of us, Player has watched on and this year he will have been shocked by what he saw on the course.
Speaking in a lengthy interview for Golf Digest, Player was speaking about the importance of fitness in golf before digressing and bringing up the Ryder Cup issues and more to the point, the drinking culture in golf right now.
“I would say for an American to live a long time the most important thing for him to do is to stop eating so much and become obese. No. 2, you’ve got to exercise. It’s easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than to get the average American to exercise, most people in the world, in fact. You have to exercise every day. The next thing is sleep. I’m a champion sleeper. I sleep nine to 10 hours a night. Last night, I slept 11. [Jack] Nicklaus always said traveling with me was like traveling on his own. Also, alcohol is a killer,” Player commented.
“Everybody is drinking. I don’t know if you noticed the Ryder Cup this year. Everybody is using the ‘F’ word. I’m just going to digress for a minute. The reason why the Ryder Cup should be scrapped, I’ll tell you.
“Yes, I would like to see them abolish it, and I’ll tell you why. Nobody loves golf more than me, but I love golf to such an extent that I sat there and cringed. The whole world was watching and all you heard was ‘F’ this and ‘F’ that and you see people misbehaving.”
“There is. Just look at Augusta. Do you ever see that at Augusta? Do you ever see that at the U.S. Open? The British Open? No.”
The Ryder Cup faces a big rebuilding job for golf purists
We all love the Ryder Cup. Everything about it is great and the fans and crowd interactions are part of that allure.
However, this year at Bethpage things did go too far. The things we heard hurled at McIlroy and others were simply absurd and it’s little wonder people like Player and more have been put off.
America’s own Brandel Chamblee branded things disgusting and it has left a bitter taste in the mouth of many.
With the next event in Europe, there is a real chance for the European fans to show what the Ryder Cup should be all about. However, if we see similar actions and scenes, then the competition will start to face real questions from those who matter higher up the chain.
Golf is about being competitive, as we know. But it isn’t what we saw in New York and while Player’s suggestion to abolish is extreme, that is how it’s left some people feeling.
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