FAMILY FEUD
Willett’s brother: Americans ‘fat, stupid, greedy bastards’
CHASKA, Minn. — Danny Willett was quietly going about his business during a Ryder Cup practice round Wednesday morning at Hazeltine National when all hell was breaking loose on social media thanks to a scathing screed his brother wrote for a website in which he called Americans “fat, stupid, greedy, classless bastards.’’
The excoriating of American golf fans surely was not a part of Darren Clarke’s captain’s handbook, part of which states the visiting team shall not rile up the opposition’s home crowd with trash talk.
These were the some of the choicest of his words in the article Pete Willett, a school teacher, wrote on the website National Club Golfer that was couched as advice for how the Europeans can retain the Ryder Cup:
“For the Americans to stand a chance of winning, they need their baying mob of imbeciles to caress their egos every step of the way. … Team Europe needs to shut those groupies up. They need to silence the pudgy, basement-dwelling, irritants, stuffed on cookie dough and pissy beer, pausing between mouthfuls of hotdog so they can scream ‘Baba booey’ until their jelly faces turn red.
“They need to stun the angry, unwashed, Make America Great Again swarm, desperately gripping their concealed-carry compensators and belting out a mini-erection inducing ‘mashed potato,’ hoping to impress their cousin. They need to smash the obnoxious dads, with their shiny teeth, Lego man hair, medicated ex-wives, and resentful children.
“If these things happen, Europe will win, and I’ll try to support gracefully by embracing the same sense of fair-mindedness that has permeated this unbiased article. If not, the Americans will claim their second victory this century… those fat, stupid, greedy, classless, bastards.’’
Then, Pete Willett, not backing down from his bold words, sent out this message on Twitter: “Sorry to any American followers... but I mean every word. COME ON #TeamEurope.’’
If nothing else, you can make the argument he has put his brother 1-down in every match he plays week, because the American fans are certain to be merciless on the reigning Masters champion every time he steps up to hit a shot.
Both Willett and Clarke denounced the comments made by Willett’s brother. Wil- lett, after his practice round, called the comments his brother made “a tough thing to get your head around.’’
“I’d just like to apologize to everyone involved,’’ he said. “I spoke to him on the phone after I was made aware of what was being said and I said to Peter I was obviously disappointed at what was said and what was written about the American fans. They took me under their wing fantastically back in April [when Willett won the Masters].
“As soon as I got off the golf course I went to see Davis [Love III, the U.S. captain] and me and Davis had a chat for a few minutes about it all. He took it really well and he’s drawn a line under it for himself and the team, so hopefully everybody else can do same and we can get along and have a great tournament.’’
Love said he heard about the article while he was out on the course, but said he chose not to read it.
“I took Coach [Bill] Belichick’s advice: Ignored the noise,” Love said. “If I read it, I’m just going to get mad. If I read it, I’m just going to get defensive. So I just try to ignore it.’’
Clarke said he became aware of the article while his players were on the course practicing and he immediately went to find Willett.
“Danny was unaware of it, and he fully intends to speak to his brother … express his displeasure about it, because that is not what Team Europe stands for,’’ Clarke said.
Asked if he is concerned about backlash from the U.S. fans, Clarke did his best to defuse any such action.
“The fans could not have been nicer and better to us this week, and … hopefully that continues.’’
Willett signed autographs for about five minutes before disappearing into the clubhouse without further comment. He’s scheduled to speak to the media Thursday in his pre-tournament press conference and his brother’s actions are sure to be a topic of conversation.
According to a source who texted with Pete Willett on Wednesday, he claimed what he wrote was simply meant to be a “joke.’’
It’ll take the Ryder Cup matches to be played before we truly know who the joke was on.