It took a full six days, but the "I apologize" statement was finally put down in black and white by Don Rea Jr., president of the PGA of America, the organizer of the 2025 Ryder Cup. The one Team Europe narrowly won, the one Team USA failed to make a comeback, and the one where the crowd insulted, especially Rory McIlroy.
Ryder Cup, Don Rea Jr.'s letter
In a letter sent to his 30,000 members, Don Rea Jr. publicly apologized for what happened at Bethpage Black, writing that "there is no room for such behavior in professional golf. Some of the fans' behavior clearly crossed the line. It was disrespectful," he wrote, "inappropriate and does not represent who we are as the PGA of America or as golf professionals. We condemn such behavior by the American Ryder Cup crowd without hesitation."
Finally, a clear position. It's a shame it's late and sounds more like a patch on what he said in the heat of the moment. Like all patches, this one seems worse than the hole itself.
On Sunday morning, in the aftermath of the worldwide insults to Rory McIlroy and the beer thrown at his wife, Erica Stoll, Don Rea Jr. gave an interview to the BBC downplaying the incident. He argued that with "50,000 spectators, a certain fervor is inevitable," comparing the offensive American-style shouting to that of a youth soccer match. The final gem: one of the most influential men in American golf explained that "similar incidents occurred in Rome in 2023."
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Those who were at Rome 2023 know full well that things didn't go that way. At the Marco Simone, the atmosphere was heated—not only by the dazzling sunshine—but also by Patrick Cantlay and his teammates, who remained on the course despite their request for payment being denied. There were chants, but the moment any player took a stand on the ball, silence fell in Guidonia Montecelio.
Fitzpatrick and Lowry vs. Don Rea Jr.
Rea managed to displease everyone in that interview with one stroke: "I haven't personally heard certain insults. I'm sure," he said, "they've happened, but it also happens when we play in Europe. Rory knows that. These things happen." It was a statement that angered several members of Team Europe. Matt Fitzpatrick called it "offensive to European fans," while Shane Lowry found the level of insults directed at McIlroy's wife "shocking."
Bethpage Black, the most contested Ryder Cup
After two days of dominance, Europe built a record lead and then maintained it until the final score of 15-13, securing their sixth victory in the last eight Ryder Cups. The match was marred by personal and vulgar insults from the stands.
The controversy began as early as Friday morning, with offensive chants erupting as soon as Rory McIlroy's image appeared on the big screen.
From then on, the situation escalated: foul language was used against Team Europe, a beer was thrown at McIlroy's wife, and comedian Heather McMahan—hired by the PGA of America to entertain the crowd on the first tee—was filmed chanting insults against the Northern Irishman.
The abuse was so severe that McIlroy responded directly, telling a fan to "shut up" during Saturday's foursomes. That afternoon, he and Shane Lowry responded forcefully to the crowd after their foursome victory.
Last Tuesday, Derek Sprague, CEO of the PGA of America, appeared on Golf Channel, admitting that viewership in New York had gone too far. He then announced his intention to personally apologize to McIlroy and his wife, Erica, who had previously worked for the PGA.
The PGA president's 2025 Ryder Cup will go down in history not only for his carelessness in not hearing the offensive chants, but also for his gaffe at the awards ceremony. On Sunday, Don Rea Jr. declared that Europe had "retained" the Ryder Cup instead of winning it. Luke Donald's men won
