Is Westwood a whinger?

[shanker]

I didn't see ANY of the Ryder Cup but there's debate about the behaviour of the American fans. Westwood complained. Nobody else did. We all hate the cretins who shout ''Go in da hole'', ''You da man'', etc. But were the American fans that bad? Azinger says NO.

 

[stevelockie]

It does sound a wee bit like sour grapes, and Lee does have a wee bit of history there, moaning about course set-ups, especially when he's played poorly.

I thought the American fans were excellent, vocal, enthusiastic but not over the top.

 

[Macster]

I think Westwood is great, love watching him. If he found reason to moan after, I'm certain there was good reason.

Lets be honest, watching/listening to US crowds is painful, they're just too stupid for words sometimes, with all those cries etc etc etc.

Im certain thats why even most of the US players prefer playing in Europe, (Most, not all) - as the galleries are just more educated, polite, and sensible.

I actually hate the way the galleries behave at Ryder Cups anyway, all that Ole Ole Ole rubbish etc, its pathetic, and reducing Golf to mindless football behaviour.

Discuss

 

[birdieman]

Westwood seems to have taken on Monty's role. Catch 22 as now everyone knows heckling gets to him, so what happens next time RC is in US - they'll target Westwood again d'Oh. Sour grapes in my book, he played poorly and is looking for scapegoats.

 

[viscount17]

wasn't there an incident in one of the earlier rounds when the referee apparently told Boo to cool it, I think Azinger was called in at the time? so it wasn't just Westwood, plus Phil had somebody ejected.

that said I didn't hear westwood's comment.

 

[Sam]

He revealed that one abusive comment at Valhalla was a "particularly nasty reference to my mother" and that his parents had also been woken by a phone call at 4.30am on Sunday.

"They were trying to ring me but called the wrong hotel and got the wrong Westwood," he added.

From the beeb

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Think it was a little out of character to be fair. I've known Westwood hold his hand up and admit he has had a shocker in majors etc after posting a bad round so haven't got him down as a whinger. If he says there was a problem I tend to think there was even if he did perhaps let it get to him too much

 

[shanker]

He revealed that one abusive comment at Valhalla was a "particularly nasty reference to my mother" and that his parents had also been woken by a phone call at 4.30am on Sunday.

"They were trying to ring me but called the wrong hotel and got the wrong Westwood," he added.

From the beeb

Yes, I read this. But surely Lee and his family could have told the hotel staff not to put calls through to their rooms. Faldo and anyone important must have had Lee's mobile number.

 

[viscount17]

He revealed that one abusive comment at Valhalla was a "particularly nasty reference to my mother" and that his parents had also been woken by a phone call at 4.30am on Sunday.

"They were trying to ring me but called the wrong hotel and got the wrong Westwood," he added.

From the beeb

now that <u>is</u> shades of Brookline, exactly the same as Monty got on the final day there.

 

[Nico]

Look at the interview on the BBC website,he comes across so well,what about LW for skipper in Wales?

He was lucid,calm and funny, impressive bloke!

 

[muttleee]

In the BBC article mentioned above, Westwood blames Azinger for encouraging the fans to cheer European missed putts. Can this really be true?? I'd be absolutely astonished if the US captain actually did that. The specific quote from the Beeb site is this:

Westwood pinpointed Azinger's rallying call, in which he urged fans to cheer missed Europeans putts, as the reason for some of the unsavoury scenes.

Did anyone actually hear first hand what Zinger said??

 

[Nico]

Lewine Mair reported Azinger's comments and recorded her shock. When confronted the US PGA tried to make out he was joking but it is on tape and she said that it was absolutely not a joke!

 

[Imurg]

Lee's got a point in that Boo was stoking up the crowd before the end of the hole - Lee still had a putt to make and that's not really on. Before tee-off on the hole or after putt-out bring it on but not between shots.

 

[muttleee]

I'm aghast!

 

[vig]

I saw an interview with him today and he did mention the phone call in the early hours.
Also the spat with Weekly when he got the crowd in a frenzy before Westwoods putt. He did say that he had no problems with the behaviour but it was not golf for it BEFORE he had completed the hole (fair comment, not whinging)

And... Yes, Azinger did tell the crowd to cheer the missed putts. He repeated it a couple of times before the event.
Not very sporting but expected from the Yanks. Still if our guys had started making the putts there wouldn't have been anything for them to cheer.

 

[DCB]

Read a piece over the weekend which did say that Azinger had brought the cheering of bad shots or missed putts up during a "rally the troops" event in downtown where-ever it was! He had said that they could cheer the bad shots etc.

Now whilst we are at present still smarting from the defeat, and taking the moral highgound, we only have to think back to the last three events. The partizan home european crowds have certainly done the same and last timne round, there were so manu europeans at the event (06) that it could almost have been a home event!

We need to keep this in perspective, both sets of fans want their team to win. Unfortunately golf is no longer a sport where some gentle aplause will do whe a player makes a good shot.

Here's hoping we take heed of this before it all degenerates into a full scale rammy at the next event.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't think it will ever get to happy gilmore levels (although Boo is obviously a fan) but there can be no place in golf for cheering a bad shot or for chanting before a hole is won/lost. I'm sure if this had happened at the K club to any great extent the US (always a nation ready to whinge at anythong should they lose) would have made a big deal of it especially given their comprehensive thrashing.

I have to say I didn't think the crowd were THAT bad during the playing of holes and certainly didn't witness anyone being deliberately off putting to Westwood although if he said it happened I believe him.

I can imagine Azinger would have said something to the crown to get them involved. He had made no secret that he wanted them to be the 13th man and whilst I have problem with that I feel he needed to at least set some ground rules to the fans. Cheering poor shots simply isn't on. Cheering during a hole isn#t either whether it be done in malice or ignorance. If it is on tape he should be a man and apologise for the comments so that if nothing else there is no bad blood left to fester for two years whereby the European crowds act in a similar fashion to balance the books

 

[rgs]

To answer the question -- No Westwood is not a whinger.

No family member of any player Eyropean or American should have to put up with that sort of behaviour. I have no problem with cheering a missed putt but a respectful silence should ebsue whilst players are playing.

Boo Weekley played great golf but his attitude and demeanour was not what i expect of a top class golfer.

Brookline on Sunday was bad leading to Montys father left the course.Payne Stewart tried to help Monty as he felt the fans when overboard.

I also know that Kiawah Island was as bad, my brother was at it and he stated the behaviour of some of the american players and fans left a bad taste, balls finding the fairway when they were miles off line etc.
So in essence the americans have "form" in this regard.

We may be loud over here but we appreciate good golf from both teams. No body in 2006 cheered when Tigers opening drive went into the water-.

 

[Basher]

I heard Azinger's comments on the telly the other day (may have been in the opening ceremony programme)
I found the comments somewhat shocking, coming from a Professional golfer.

Not golf, not gentlemanly.......and certainly not British!

 

[shanker]

The partizan home european crowds have certainly done the same and last timne round, there were so manu europeans at the event (06) that it could almost have been a home event!

We need to keep this in perspective, both sets of fans want their team to win. Unfortunately golf is no longer a sport where some gentle aplause will do whe a player makes a good shot.

Good points DCB. I've been told that the European fans behaved disgracefully at Valderrama (97)