Collin Morikawa and his American Ryder Cup team recently suffered a defeat while facing Luke Donald’s men. What made this year’s biennial golf competition worth remembering was the behavior of the American fans at Bethpage.
Before the Ryder Cup started, Team Europe was already terrified of facing a noisy crowd. During one of his interactions with the media, Morikawa called American fans “tame” and demanded more “chaos” at Bethpage Black. From September 26 to 28, the supporters of Collin Morikawa’s team became a nightmare for the Europeans.
Today, the two-time major champion defended his statement that he expected more “chaos.” Before joining Baycurrent Classic, Morikawa had an interaction with the press. In his statement, he made it clear that he wanted “energy” from the fans. Collin Morikawa said:
“I think we took what I said a little out of context… Ryder Cups are supposed to have a lot of energy… if I say the word chaos, I didn’t want them to be rude, right?… it’s not my place, I think, to take credit for people being rude… I wanted energy, right?”
Aside from that, Collin Morikawa admitted that Bethpage fans crossed a line. The golfer said:
“…I don’t think, you know, when I say a word, everyone listened… I don’t think I have the power to do that, you know, among people. I think fans can do and say what they want sometimes… it probably crossed a line there…”
NUCLR GOLF shared a clip from the press interaction of Collin Morikawa of Yokohama Golf Club. Take a look at post X (formerly Twitter):
Morikawa’s comments today come after members of the European team endured a difficult atmosphere in Bethpage. European golfers like Robert MacIntyre and Shane Lowry have been trolled and insulted with comments regarding their physical stature. During one of the games in Bethpage, fans even ended up calling Lowry “Teletubby.”
Collin Morikawa and the fans of his American team became rather loud, especially in the presence of Rory McIlroy. The five-time major champion was deliberately yelled at, causing him to stop playing his shot. During Saturday’s fourball matches, McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, was hit with a beer can by the crowd. The golfer’s wife reportedly left the course with tears in her eyes.
Collin Morikawa’s Ryder Cup teammate Xander Schauffele shares his views on fan behavior
After Morikawa defended himself before the Baycurrent Classic, Xander Schauffele didn’t hesitate to share his opinion. The nine-time PGA Tour winner admitted things were “unsavory” at Bethpage. In his statement, Collin Morikawa’s Ryder Cup teammate said (quoted by Newsweek):
“..there were some unsavory things said at times. I really wish we could have played better so they would encourage us a little more. New York is a tough place for anyone to play. I even got some comments to play better…”
In addition to Morikawa and Schauffele, the behavior of American fans at the 2025 Ryder Cup venue has also been denounced by others. Golfing great Tom Watson has admitted he is “ashamed” of the entire situation Donald’s men have had to endure. Following the insults McIlroy and his team faced, PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague said he would seek a formal apology.
Edited by Pravashis Biswas
