A bristling Keegan Bradley refused to condemn the appalling abuse hurled at Europe’s stars during a fiery second day of the Ryder Cup.
The tournament took an ugly turn on Saturday when fans and players alike came close to blows on a tense day marked by hostile behavior and crass abuse. On a day when the notorious New Yorkers finally found their voice — for better and definitely for worse — Europe continued to humiliate the Americans on their own turf, taking a historic seven-point lead into the final day at Bethpage Black.
However, the carnage from the infamously rabid New York sports fans that had long been prophesized finally reared its ugly head at the Ryder Cup. Personalized abuse was hurled at the European stars — public enemy No. 1 Rory McIlroy in particular — before the players themselves began lashing out in retaliation. Bethpage almost witnessed a repeat of the renowned caddie spat of Marco Simone on a highly charged, frantic afternoon.
But Keegan Bradley refused to condemn the bedlam, characterizing it as passion from the home supporters.
“I thought the fans were passionate,” he told reporters. “I mean, their home team is getting beat bad. You know, they are passionate fans. I wasn’t at Rome, but I heard a lot of stories that Rome was pretty violent as well.
“But the fans of New York, from what I have seen, have been pretty good. You’re always going to have a few people that cross the line, and that’s unfortunate. I was happy to see our players trying to quiet down some people that were like that.”
Bradley then appeared to suggest that some of the blame lay with his team and their failure to rise to the occasion.
“Part of it our fault,” he added. “We are not playing up to the standards that they want to see, and they are angry, and they should be.”
However, he performed a hasty U-turn when pressed further on the issue, insisting he did not hold his players responsible.
“I did not say that. That’s not what I said,” he defiantly said after being questioned on his comment. “I said the fans are probably upset that their home team is losing. I did not say that.”
He further snapped at a reporter who pointed to players such as Collin Morikawa, who had called for “chaos” from the crowd earlier in the week.
“I don’t appreciate those words that you just said. I know what you’re trying to do,” he bit back. “The Ryder Cup is full of passionate fans. They’re full of passionate players. And that wasn’t right.”
On Friday’s opening day, the New Yorkers’ reputation appeared to be all bark and no bite. But on Saturday, they had sharpened their teeth.
The home supporters not only crossed the line—they barreled over it with their particularly vile insults at McIlroy and his wife, Erica, which led to a series of ejections.
Sources told The Daily Mail that extra security had to be rushed to McIlroy and Shane Lowry’s match against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young shortly after McIlroy refused to continue playing until “they shut up.”
Shane Lowry also snapped at a fan, with the unsavory incident caught on camera. It was unclear what was said to leave the Irishman so angry or if the insult was aimed at him or McIlroy, but he appeared to be held back by his caddie before pointing the fan out to security to have them removed.
However, Europe’s Luke Donald insisted the highly charged atmosphere only fueled his players’ drive.
“Things got tougher out there, and it fired them up even more,” the European captain said. “They were able to get better through those difficult moments out there. That is what makes me most proud as a captain — just their ability to take the punches and come back even stronger.”
“It was loud. It was raucous,” he added. “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. That did happen a little bit. It’s happened at other Ryder Cups, too.
“It’s something we prepared for, and I can see how well they have dealt with it.”
Around the 12th tee, police told The Daily Mail they were instructed to stay with Bryson DeChambeau’s group due to fears of tension spilling over. Three holes later, tensions indeed boiled over.
The American and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler were trailing 3-down to Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose on the 15th when, for a second straight Ryder Cup, a player and caddie became embroiled in a fiery exchange.
In scenes reminiscent of McIlroy’s greenside row with Patrick Cantlay’s bagman, Joe LaCava, from Rome, Rose appeared unhappy with DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, walking onto the green as he lined up a putt. Rose still holed the putt but on the walk to the 16th, Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, and European vice-captain Franco Molinari began arguing, with Fleetwood standing between them.
Fleetwood also appeared to exchange words with DeChambeau on his way off the 15th green.
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