With the president watching the final round of the Ryder Cup Matches on Sunday from behind bullet-proof glass at Bethpage, the Donald called out boorish fan behavior that culminated with a can of beer bouncing off the hat of Rory McIlroy's wife.
But it wasn't "that" Donald who told the media that fan behavior "crossed the line" after Europe defeated Team USA 15-13 to retain the Cup.
"What I consider crossing the line is personal insults and making sounds when they are trying to hit on their backswings or very close to when they are trying to go into their routines," Team Europe captain Luke Donald told the media afterward. "That did happen a little bit."
Fans shouted during backswings and hurled insults at European players and worse, much worse. McIlroy even asked security to remove one fan after an insulting comment.
Was anyone really expecting differently from a crowd of ginned up New Yorkers . . . dressed as Uncle Sam, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, a bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty . . . at a site 30 miles from one of the earliest conflicts of the American Revolution?
Come on, now.
Was anyone really expecting differently from a crowd of ginned up New Yorkers . . . dressed as Uncle Sam, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, a bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
Not everyone was guilty of such outlandish behavior, but as long as sporting events hitch their wagon to revenue derived from alcohol sales to thousands of people, behavior like that which took place at Bethpage will continue.
Northern Ireland's McIlroy seemed to take the brunt of the abuse, which reached its low point when a beer can from the gallery hit the brim of his wife's hat as the couple strode to the 18th green to watch the end of Sunday's competition.
Video of the event showed that the can was not actually thrown at McIlroy's wife. Rather, a spectator flipped the can from another onlooker's grasp. Surprisingly, no one could be heard slurring "good shot."
Regardless of the intent, the airborne beer was the exclamation mark on an already black eye for the game.
As McIlroy stated to the media at the conclusion of play, golf is bolstered by virtues such as sportsmanship, fair play and character.
That lecture in etiquette, mind you, came from a man who, when he reached his boiling point, implored spectators to "shut the f*** up," reportedly flipped the middle finger when they did not and demonstrably mouthed "f*** you, f*** you, f*** you" while walking off a green. The scene had become so tense Sunday that New York State Troopers accompanied McIlroy's group.
Whether such bravery from the crowd is the by-product of mob mentality, or is fueled by a concoction sold at Bethpage called "The All-American Transfusion," or a combination of both, such behavior at sporting events should not come as a surprise to anyone. Alcohol sales generate huge amounts of revenue, and many who attend these events have yet to master the art of responsible drinking. Has anyone ever checked out Europe's Premier League or any NFL game recently?
It was estimated that about a half-million cans of beer would be sold throughout the event that drew about 225,000 attendees. There was no information on how many All-American Transfusions were sold at $19.59 per cup, but they most assuredly helped stoke the flames of European resentment, some of which apparently have been burning non-stop for the past 250 years.
The Guardian, a newspaper with headquarters in London, went so far as to blame spectator behavior at Bethpage on The Donald, the one behind the bulletproof glass and who lives in Florida, not the one from England who captained the visiting team, but played collegiate golf in Illinois — and lives in Florida.
There is no excuse for the behavior exhibited by fans at Bethpage, but good sportsmanship often is hard to come by at the Ryder Cup, by players and fans. But it also should not be a surprise, either. After all, many fans feed off the same sort of trash talk that Ryder Cup participants often direct at each other.
Prior to the 1997 matches at Valderrama, European captain Seve Ballesteros famously proclaimed he had 12 players who could beat Tiger Woods.
Even Tommy Bolt, who was known for his hot temper, complained of treatment by fans in England during a U.S. loss in 1957.
Two years later, at the Country Club in Brookline, USA captain Payne Stewart said his European counterparts were barely good enough to carry his team's bags. Things worsened throughout the event when European captain Mark James said fans spat on his wife and Colin Montgomerie's father left early and returned to England rather than listen to the relentless heckling.
Montgomerie, who was shutout throughout his career in pursuit of a major championship, was one of Europe's better Ryder Cup players. He also excelled at throwing barbs at American players. While some were simple gamesmanship, some were downright cruel, including the time he said he hoped the cup-deciding putt would fall on the shoulders of Scott Hoch, referring to a missed putt on No. 18 at Augusta that cost him the 1989 Masters. Even worse, he said he didn't think Brad Faxon would be up to the task in the ‘97 matches at Valderrama because of his pending divorce.
Even Tommy Bolt, who was known for his hot temper, complained of treatment by fans in England during a U.S. loss in 1957.
The pro golf circuit also shares some blame, by promoting and encouraging rude behavior at some events, namely the par-3 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale where players are roundly booed or cheered and sometimes showered with beer by oiled up fans based on how they fare on that hole. It's a simple fact that there is going to be trouble of some sort by combining crowds that size with freely flowing alcohol. Period.
If the game's stakeholders — and players — can't understand why fans who are encouraged to throw a beer in the Arizona desert one day color outside the lines the next, maybe they should look in the mirror.
