The CEO of PGA America has issued an apology to Rory McIlroy and his wife, Erica, regarding the treatment they received from fans during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last weekend.
Derek Sprague spoke with McIlroy’s manager, Sean O’Flaherty, on Wednesday and asked him to pass along his sentiments to the couple.
“I sent a detailed email to Rory and Erica, assuring them that we will improve moving forward,” Sprague said. “As the CEO, I cannot accept this kind of behavior. It’s detrimental to golf, the Ryder Cup, and to professional athletes.”
Sprague, who noted that Erica, after enjoying a drink, reacted particularly to on-site behavior, expressed his dismay with actress Heather McMahan. She had participated in the “F-K You Rory” chant, which he found unacceptable.
“I’m really disappointed in how the fans acted, and it’s not about the first tee or the venue,” Sprague emphasized. “I was just very, very unhappy with what occurred.”
At one point, McIlroy confronted one fan, telling others to “shut F-K up” as they hurled verbal abuse his way.
In stark contrast to Sprague’s remarks, PGA America President Don Rea took a different stance. In a BBC interview, he acknowledged the excitement of the large crowd but seemed to downplay the incidents.
“There are 50,000 people here who are really excited. You could go to a youth soccer game and hear inappropriate remarks,” Rea stated. “We try to remind fans to be respectful, but distractions can happen. When American players have to deal with the crowd, it distracts them from their game.”
When pressed about McIlroy specifically, Rea admitted he hadn’t heard about the insults but acknowledged they could happen, noting that it’s not uncommon at such events.
