Ryder Cup star who called for ‘absolute chaos’ picks sides after Rory McIlroy abuse

Team Europe were on the end of serious crowd abuse in New York last month as they beat the USA to the Ryder Cup and Collin Morikawa has now given his take on the behaviour

USA Ryder Cup star Collin Morikawa has admitted that the behaviour of fans “crossed the line” after Rory McIlroy was the subject of fierce abuse. Team Europe claimed the Ryder Cup across what was an ill-tempered competition in New York last month.

The Europeans eventually got over the line with a 15-13 victory but their success was tainted by the atmosphere at Bethpage Black. Crowd behaviour prompted added security for the last day, while Rory McIlroy was subjected to personal insults from spectators and was forced to hit back on a couple of occasions.

Morikawa has now given his verdict and agreed with Luke Donald’s claim that the behaviour overstepped a boundary. He said: “I think fans can do and say what they want sometimes. It probably crossed a line out there. It wasn’t in my groups but definitely what people were hearing.

“Yeah, there’s a line that needs to be drawn, I believe. But I think that’s what’s so different and unique about golf is that we hear nearly everything what people say because people have access to be so close to us.

“You look at a lot of other sports, you don’t really hear much. Things are said, but golf has that different aspect to it. So I think you have to learn how to find that division of what’s appropriate and what’s not.”

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Morikawa’s comments come after his request for fans to bring ‘chaos’ to the Ryder Cup but he claims that it was never his intention for his rivals to receive abuse. He added: “I think we’ve taken what I said a little out of context.

“I think Ryder Cups are meant to have a lot of energy, right, and I think me saying the word ‘chaos’, I didn’t mean for them to be rude, right?

“So like that’s not on me, I believe for me to take credit for people being rude. I think what I meant was like I wanted energy, right?

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“You wanted people to be proud of the country, the countries they’re rooting for. So I don’t think me saying one word, everyone listened and then – I don’t think I have the power to do that amongst people.”

The PGA of America President Don Rea Jr. initially dismissed complaints from European players and family members, describing the abuse as akin to that seen at a youth soccer game.

However, after backlash to his original response he accepted that spectators had indeed crossed the line. In an email to members, he said: “Let me begin with what we must own. While the competition was ­spirited – especially with the US team’s rally on Sunday afternoon – some fan behaviour clearly crossed the line.

“It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA of America golf professionals. We ­condemn that behaviour unequivocally.”

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