The PGA of America slammed for ‘utter embarrassment’ on the first tee at the Ryder Cup, ‘bordering on a disgrace’

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The PGA of America will still be feeling the impact of a disappointing Ryder Cup defeat for the USA, made worse by the fact that it was on home soil.

Luke Donald has now guided Europe to back-to-back Ryder Cup victories, with Keegan Bradley his latest victim.

USA captain Bradley has come under fire following the 15-13 defeat, with his side having been outclassed by their fierce rivals in front of their own fans.

Such fans threatened to overshadow the Ryder Cup action at times, with many European players unhappy with the treatment they received at Bethpage Black.

But it ultimately mattered not as Team Europe left New York with the Ryder Cup trophy, which they will look to retain at Adare Manor in 2027.

PGA of America slammed for ‘utter embarrassment’ on Ryder Cup first tee

Before that, however, Rich Lerner believes questions must now be addressed by the PGA of America after what happened on the first tee at Bethpage.

He commented on Golf Channel: “They [PGA of America] have a lot to consider here with what went wrong.

“Why do we need the blaring music? Somebody said to me that on the first tee that they could not hear the chants and that one of the great elements are those chants.

READ MORE: New York locals ‘furious’ about the state of Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup after ‘mind-boggling’ decision made

“The songs from the Europeans and the United States, they could not hear them, because the music was so loud.

“I don’t need rock concert music to get me hyped for a Ryder Cup. I just don’t. In fact, it takes away. It’s unoriginal. It’s uninspiring.

“We just don’t need it. Get rid of it. The comedian on the first tee. It’s an utter embarrassment. Bordering on a disgrace.

“What are we doing? I think that is a question and questions that the PGA of America need to be thinking about in the days ahead.”

What really raised the fan noise on the first tee of the Ryder Cup

There was indeed plenty of noise and action on the first tee outside of the actual golf itself, with the music approach similar to that of LIV Golf.

The hiring of comedian Heather McMahan meanwhile very quickly backfired, as she stepped down from the role before Sunday’s action after leading an expletive-laden chant about European star Rory McIlroy.

All of it did not reflect well on the PGA of America, and came in stark contrast to the welcoming scenes that were evident in Rome in 2023, for example.

Fittingly, what really energised the crowd was Bryson DeChambeau’s fantastic tee shot, which should help the PGA of America identify what fans really want to see at a major event like the Ryder Cup.