Tom Watson ‘ashamed’ of U.S. fans’ behavior at Ryder Cup

Sep 29, 2025, 02:27 PM ET

Two-time U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson on Monday apologized to the winning European team for the behavior of American fans at Bethpage Black.

“I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory,” Watson posted to X. “Your team play the first few days was sensational. More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage.

“As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”

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The 76-year-old Watson, who counts five Open Championship wins among his eight major titles, played on four Ryder Cup teams. He was the winning captain of the U.S. team in 1993 in England, and the losing captain for the U.S. in the 2014 matches in Scotland.

The European team, and Rory McIlroy in particular, were the target of constant heckling and insults — some directed at his wife and family — over the three-day event in Farmingdale, New York. Oftentimes, the jeers took place as he was in the process of hitting a shot, and it caused delays and prompted the PGA of America to add extra security.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said Sunday after Europe finished off a 15-13 win against the United States. “… I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.”

McIlroy later added: “There was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behavior.”

A video on social media showed Lowry having to be held back by his caddie as a fan said something before McIlroy hit a drive Saturday. Another video showed McIlroy walking with his wife, Erica, when a beer appeared to be thrown in their direction and hit her.

U.S. team member Justin Thomas, after witnessing the verbal abuse directed toward McIroy and Shane Lowry on Satuday, said “we felt for them.”

“It was unfortunate,” Thomas said. “Cam [Young] and I just wished that we gave them something to cheer for instead of people to cheer against. I think that was kind of the main consensus of the last two days, that we weren’t giving them enough to cheer for, and they were just trying to help us win. I guess that’s the New York fans for you.”

ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti contributed to this report.

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