News

Bubba Watson snaps back at heckler during WGC-Match Play; Should the Tour do more to stop players receiving verbal abuse?

Published

5 years ago

Mar 29, 2019

Bubba Watson isn’t enjoying the best of weeks at the WGC-Match Play in Austin, and on Thursday the two-time Masters champ was less than impressed with one golf fans attempt to heckle him.

The incident occurred on the par-4 third hole of Bubba Watson’s match against Billy Horschel. As the television audio picked up, per the Tweet embedded below, Watson’s caddie Ted Scott was the first to address the fan saying: “Hey buddy, just be quiet next time”, before Watson got more curt with the spectator.

Staring down the heckler, Watson says: “It’s funny how tough you were, then you looked away. … Everybody’s big behind the ropes and behind the computer.” Before the 40-year-old added “Look at him. He’s still trying to look cool.”

Bubba acting tough. LOL. Surprised he didn't cry a little. pic.twitter.com/b5clko7GgM

— DrinkSmokeGolf (@DrinkSmokeGolf) March 28, 2019

The incident comes off the back of a heckling controversy at the Players Championship earlier this month involving Ian Poulter. The Englishman was defiant at the time, posting this on social media in response to the abuse he received at TPC Sawgrass.

No bad comments or abuse from anyone can take away from the special time you get with your children.. It just makes you realize how special it really is to be a parent and in simple terms being a dad. I will never change. @THEPLAYERSChamp pic.twitter.com/1oiGaO39MU

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) March 19, 2019

Speaking after his opening match at this week’s WGC-Match Play, Poulter further elaborated on his thoughts concerning the abuse he received at the Players Championship, saying

“You obviously know there’s a problem if your playing partner doesn’t feel very comfortable or he apologized and said he’s embarrassed for the local support at TPC, and he apologized. So when it gets to that level that your playing partner has to apologize for fans, then obviously clearly there’s a few that stepped over the line.”

While Poulter also highlighted that the abuse he suffered was while his young family were in the crowd believing that “tt can be potentially damaging to them to hear that level of stuff,” and added that “it’s a shame it happens but unfortunately it does and hopefully we can stamp it out.”

GolfWRXers, does the Tour need to do more to stamp out hecklers on the course, or is a certain level of verbal jabbing now unavoidable and part and parcel of being a Tour pro?

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

31 Comments

Tim

Apr 1, 2019 at 11:27 am

This is a growing trend in this country. People are becoming more and more rude. I think its started with people being rude behind the protection of their computer screens, but its now spread out to traffic on the highway and public sporting events like this.

I think the current political situation is driving it in a lot of ways. People have become inspired to be rude and petulant. That’s what has worked so well for the leader of the free world. This is going to make for a pretty crappy society to live in.

Reply Report comment
hellomcfly

Mar 31, 2019 at 10:28 pm

Now if they would only start throwing people out for yelling “Bababoooie” and “Get in the hole!”

Reply Report comment
Dave

Mar 31, 2019 at 8:49 am

The poor fan behavior puts a mark on the sport. This isn’t Da Raidas or pro wrastlin. They need a zero tolerance policy…

Reply Report comment
Johnny Penso

Mar 30, 2019 at 10:09 pm

No offense but taking away beer is a stupid suggestion. Why punish 50,000 people who are responsible with their drinking and behaviour in order to cure a handful of morons? Deal with the idiots, send a message, behaviour will change and the few malcontents will be dealt with. You’ll never eliminate them all but it’s not hard to get most.

Reply Report comment
Malcolm X

Mar 30, 2019 at 8:17 pm

It’s only an issue with the notorious jerks like Bubber, Serg, Poulter, and back in the day Norman

Reply Report comment
Allen Rawlins

Mar 30, 2019 at 9:33 am

The game of golf is about respect, integrity, character, and sportsmanship. These hecklers aren’t purist in these regards. Whether I like a player or not, when I have attended several tour events you always show respect to the person. I was at the BMW a few years ago in Carmel, IN and was at the green waiting for Tiger to hit up, and Ben Crane was on the green putting. As we all know he is slow!!!! He had a two foot putt left after his first attempt went by and he went through the same long pre shot routine. Many fans began yelling come on it’s a gimme, and others just started saying this guys a joke, and was loud enough for the players to hear. His wife and another tour wife was about five feet or so from me and she started crying wanting to know why people had to be so mean. With all that being said, zero tolerance policy should be enforced, and second they do have their girlfriends, wives, parents, and children sometimes following. This is a game of respect!!! Hecklers do not respect it.

Reply Report comment
George49

Mar 30, 2019 at 9:24 am

And one ponders why USA melts in the Ryder, toughen up butter cups. Heckle me all you want if I played pga tour for a living with endorsement deals. The tour is out of touch with the common golfer. It’s a declining sport yet the purses increase each year while
The spectator’s health insurance negates if any wage increase.

Reply Report comment
MikeyB

Mar 30, 2019 at 6:43 am

As soon as the PGA became accepting of the “Baba Booey!” “It’s in da’ hole!” and “Mashed Pa-tay-tahs!” idiots everything else was going to slowly creep into the mix. The falling down drunks, the booing beer can throwing fans at the Waste Management, etc.
Boorish behavior has become the norm at PGA events. If you had security placed near every tee, you can simply grab these morons and show them the parking lot. If it’s done ‘publicly’ then the PGA sends the message, you can have a few beverages and cheer for your guy, but don’t be a jerk about it.

Reply Report comment
CB

Mar 29, 2019 at 10:55 pm

What did the heckler say?

Reply Report comment
- MalcolmX
  
  Mar 30, 2019 at 8:19 pm
  
  How did a jerk like you win 2 Masters … something like that
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Jose Pinatas
    
    Mar 31, 2019 at 1:57 pm
    
    So the spectator was speaking the truth? How’s that heckling??
    
    Reply Report comment
TK

Mar 29, 2019 at 5:19 pm

This is pro sports fellas..a paying patron can say whatever they want in between swings..go to an nfl, nhl, mlb game..chirping is off the charts..as long as you are respectful when they are actually in pre-swing – mid swing…the fields open when these guys are walking around..they talk to spectators all the time who’s to say or watch what is being said to them..Pro golfers are so sensitive like these pussy’s shouldn’t be treated any different from any other player in any other major sports league around the world.

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Shallowface

Mar 29, 2019 at 3:05 pm

I’m afraid that the more attention it’s given, the more it’s going to happen. A zero tolerance policy needs to be enforced. I’d love to see alcohol sales completely eliminated at sporting events, but we all know that’s a revenue generator and will never happen.

Reply Report comment
- cj
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 7:16 pm
  
  Sadly, NO. College sports don’t have it and have not in quite a while. IMO sponsors putting up a huge purse make that back charging ludicrous $$$ for a beer. At a Cardinals game with AB right down the street a beer was $12. Go figure!
  
  Reply Report comment
real recognize real

Mar 29, 2019 at 2:02 pm

both ways. Tour needs to put a effort to control this and players need to stop crying.

most of these players are from the sliver spoon vs the rest of sport pro’s are from the streets.

Reply Report comment
Craig Stanton

Mar 29, 2019 at 2:01 pm

Totally out of character and inconsistent with the game of golf, golf should be better and not lower to the base ape level of other sports.

Reply Report comment
b

Mar 29, 2019 at 1:05 pm

The Tour needs to react to the hecklers sooner, rather than later when it gets worse. When hecklers are noted on video the Tour needs to send authorities to that location and remove the hecklers. It should not be up to the tour players to point out the hecklers to security, but if that what it takes – so be it.

Reply Report comment
P Triple

Mar 29, 2019 at 11:50 am

How about the tour guys toughen up and stop being cry babies? I can understand preventing the crowd from talking during a player’s swing but the rest is a minor level of heckling compared with what other professional athletes endure. At the end of the day, “sticks & stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”.

Reply Report comment
- Jeff
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 12:43 pm
  
  How about rude loudmouths like you just stay in the bar or better yet take a class on etiquette.
  
  Reply Report comment
- DJ
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 12:58 pm
  
  how about if you don’t have anything nice to say, stfu
  
  Reply Report comment
  - DM
    
    Mar 29, 2019 at 10:28 pm
    
    +1
    
    I volunteered at the Players and the crowd on Saturday was large, loud and as the alcohol sales escalated so did the rude and obnoxious behavior. its really too bad the alcohol sales take the enjoyment out for some. Ban it totally. There were thousands of young kids there to see their heroes and drunk obnoxious fans sure do not set good examples. Too bad the events aren’t like Augusta..They dont give a flip about PC.
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Pepe Llmanos
    
    Mar 30, 2019 at 6:25 pm
    
    Hypocrisy.. I heard there gonna stone ya in America for that going forward..
    
    Reply Report comment
- Ray Gene Wood
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 3:37 pm
  
  Maybe I come to your janitorial job and heckle you and see how you like that.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Pepe Llmanos
    
    Mar 30, 2019 at 6:26 pm
    
    More Hypocrisy… I stone you.
    
    Reply Report comment
- gdb99
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 4:49 pm
  
  Except when a played breaks a rib. Isn’t that what happened to John Daley? Tried stopping his swing while being heckled?
  
  Reply Report comment
S

Mar 29, 2019 at 11:21 am

The Tour should
Stop selling alcohol.
Stop associating with alcohol companies.
Stop advertising alcohol at events.

Reply Report comment
T

Mar 29, 2019 at 11:06 am

There just needs to be a zero tolerance policy for situations like that. The tour needs to take notes on how AGNGC handles their event.

Reply Report comment
dat

Mar 29, 2019 at 10:08 am

It is all alcohol related. I’ve seen people falling down drunk at these events, no better than an NFL game. Kick them out.

Reply Report comment
Allen Wilson

Mar 29, 2019 at 9:53 am

Quit selling beer at events and most of the over the top heckling will go away….but nobody wants to give up the revenue.

Reply Report comment
- Yup
  
  Mar 29, 2019 at 2:10 pm
  
  Spot on here!!!! Its all about the $$$$$ to the event sponsors and PGA Tour!
  
  Reply Report comment
forgedforever

Mar 29, 2019 at 9:25 am

The Tour needs to start tossing people, simple as that. Identify and toss. Word will get around. Never, ever, take the attitude that so-called “verbal jabbing” is the new norm or it will get further out of control.

Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

Published

3 hours ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.

While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.

Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.

General Albums

2024 PGA Championship – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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News

Morning 9: Is it Rory’s time? | Stricker WDs | Why Valhalla is a great major venue

Published

5 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for the PGA Championship from iconic Valhalla.

1. Is now the time Rory finally ends major drought?

BBC’s Iain Carter…”But given the imperious form he showed in Charlotte last week, perhaps this is the PGA Championship to rekindle the ruthless streak of old. And not just because he is back at Valhalla (the Nordic word for the hall of the fallen).”

“It also became clear last week that McIlroy is somewhat persona non grata to the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. His views on a global future for this damagingly split sport do not seem to chime with the American dominated body.”

“His offer to return to the board from which he resigned earlier this year was rejected and he has been left as a mere non-voting member of the “transaction committee” dealing with a potential deal with Saudi Arabia.”

“McIlroy insists there are “no hard feelings” but there should be.”

“No player has worked harder for their sport during this period of unprecedented tumult and the board has rejected someone many people regard as the game’s most articulate and enlightened international voice.”

“Now is, surely, the time for McIlroy to feel slighted and respond with his clubs. Play as though he has a chip on his shoulder, but in the knowledge that he is generationally the most consistent golfing force out there.”

Full piece.

2. Scheffler in for PGA Champ after birth of child

Jaclyn Hendricks for PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler and wife Meredith’s bundle of joy has arrived.”

“The couple welcomed their first child, just weeks after Scheffler claimed his second Masters victory in three years.”

“Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig tweeted Saturday that the baby was born and Scheffler will play in this week’s PGA Championship — the second major of the season.”

“There’s been nothing official from Scottie Scheffler, his team or the Tour… But word is he will be at Valhalla for the PGA next week after winning four of his last five tournaments, including the Masters. He is currently on the Tuesday interview schedule for 3:30 p.m. #babyborn,” Harig wrote over the weekend.”

Full piece.

3. “Erik van Rooyen, friends and family live in honor of ‘Trazzy’”

That’s the headline of Ryan Lavner’s superb piece on Erik van Rooyen and his departed best friend Jon Trasmar. An excerpt would be an injustice. Go read it!

Full piece.

4. Stricker out of PGA citing fatigue

AP report…”Steve Stricker decided Sunday to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Valhalla, citing the difficulty of playing four times in a span of five weeks.”

“Stricker, 57, was eligible by winning the Senior PGA Championship last year. He, John Daly and Phil Mickelson are the only players to have competed at Valhalla each of the previous three times the PGA Championship was held there.”

Full piece.

5. Why Valhalla is a great venue for major championships

Garrett Morrison for The Fried Egg…”But before we start slinging mud (of which there will be plenty in Kentucky this week), let’s pause to think about why Valhalla tends to generate close final-round battles featuring elite players. It’s not magic: the course has long par 3s and 4s, narrow fairways, and smallish greens surrounded by rough and bunkers. This style of design and setup, which practically defines the PGA Championship’s modern brand, gives an outsize advantage to a skill that many star players share: power. Length off the tee and the ability to muscle the ball out of rough to a well-protected green will be near-prerequisites for contending at this week’s PGA Championship. If Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau show up with any kind of short-game and putting form, they will be in the mix on Sunday. And the presence of such A-listers on the leaderboard will further burnish Valhalla’s reputation as a serious venue.“

“It does not follow, however, that Valhalla is a great golf course. In fact, I find it a fairly mediocre and bland one. Very few holes offer multiple options of the tee (the exceptions being the short par-4 fourth and the double-fairway par-5 seventh), most of the greens lack memorable contouring, and the recovery shots from around the fairways and greens are one-dimensional and repetitive. So even if Sunday turns out to be a barn-burner, the first three rounds, when the focus will be on the course and the shots demanded, will probably be sleepier, aside from the inevitable Blockie walk-and-talk.”

Full piece.

6. Dunne resigns from policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Jimmy Dunne, who last year helped negotiate the PGA Tour’s controversial framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, resigned from the tour’s policy board on Monday.”

“In Dunne’s resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, Dunne wrote that “no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with PIF” and that “my vote and my role is utterly superfluous” now that player directors outnumber independent directors on the policy board. Dunne’s resignation was effective immediately.”

“It is crucial for the Board to avoid letting yesterday’s differences interfere with today’s decisions, especially when they influence future opportunities for the tour,” Dunne wrote. “Unifying professional golf is paramount to restoring fan interest and repairing wounds left from a fractured game. I have tried my best to move all minds in that direction.”

“Along with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Dunne and policy board chairman Ed Herlihy secretly negotiated the framework agreement with the PIF, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League. Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced the deal on June 6. Most PGA Tour players — including some player directors — were unaware of the deal until it was announced on TV.”

Full piece.

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News

Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2024

Ronald Montesano

This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)

This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.

LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms

There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.

This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.

Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.

Take a look back at hole No. 1… @rosezhang is living life on the edge ? pic.twitter.com/o6z6SK7TRA

— LPGA (@LPGA) May 12, 2024

PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte

Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.

Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.

HOLE-OUT EAGLE FOR RORY!!!

He now leads by SIX! pic.twitter.com/UE49lwfwNC

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024

PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week

It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.

The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.

Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.

Leader by SIX!
@ChrisGotterup | @MyrtleBeachC pic.twitter.com/TVdA6ZPYc4

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024

PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie

Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.

In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again. Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.

Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.

At the @RegionsTrad, all champions receive a green bike.

Doug Barron decided to take a victory lap ? pic.twitter.com/bEzENMjZwv

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 13, 2024

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