The Ryder Cup burst into life on Saturday, with Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott and European vice-captain Francesco Molinari having been involved in a heated altercation.
Scott and Molinari clashed while walking towards the 16th green at Bethpage Black, when Scheffler was playing in Friday’s four-balls with Bryson DeChambeau.
They met European Ryder Cup duo Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, who secured a point for the visitors with a 3&2 victory.
But their success wasn’t without drama, with DeChambeau reacting angrily after Rose asked his caddie Greg Bodine to move out of the way while lining up his putt on 15.
Rose said he could have been more polite with Bodine upon winning the match, which ultimately helped Europe to a 11.5-4.5 lead after two days of golf.
Scottie Scheffler’s caddie issues apology to Francesco Molinari after Ryder Cup clash
The Molinari and Scott altercation was “out of hand” according to Rich Beem, but the duo were quick to move on, as revealed by the caddie on social media.
Standing side-by-side with Molinari, Scott shared a video on his Instagram saying: “I’m here with Francesco Molinari.
“This guy right here has always been just a very sweet-spirited man. And we had a heated moment yesterday.
“But what many of you don’t realize is that we got over it. By the time we walked off the 16th tee, it was over.
“Neither one of us want to make this competition about us. We want to let the players go out there and do their thing.
“Obviously Team Europe are kicking our butts. Hopefully today we can make it a little more equal, have a better competition, give the fans what they want.
“But ultimately, I just want to spread love and joy. It’s a great competition. It’s great fun, and this is a great man right here so just want to say I’m sorry to you, I appreciate you.”
Responding as they shook hands, Molinari said: “Thank you Ted. I appreciate you and like I told you, I’ve got huge admiration for you, love you. Looking forward to another great day of golf today.”
Scott issued another message alongside his video, writing: “One of the best men and I’m sorry for our conflict. Francesco shows his kindness continuously. Thank you Fran.”
Will Ryder Cup tensions continue between the USA and Europe in Sunday singles?
There was no love lost between DeChambeau and Rose, with tensions understandably rising amid a raucous atmosphere at Bethpage.
Fleetwood and his caddie Ian Finnis attempted to play the roles of peacekeepers on the walk to the 16th, with their perseverance eventually paying off.
And Scott and Molinari have admirably put aside their differences, with both deserving praise for playing down the incident and moving swiftly on.
Whether the players follow suit during Sunday’s singles remains to be seen, but more drama can undoubtedly be expected.
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