‘Americans abused me in front of their kids’
M ARTIN KAYMER has become the latest Team Europe star to lay into the US crowds at Hazeltine — accusing some Yank yobs of setting a bad example for their children.
The German says he saw locals holding babies while bellowing unrepeatable abuse at visiting players.
He said: ‘I just find it amazing that they are standing with their children and saying that. It makes you think: “That’s your child next to you. What kind of role model are you?”
‘It’s shocking, the comments you hear. There were names we got called that you would never put in your mouth, repeat to the media or say to friends. However some idiots in the crowd just go beyond.
Kaymer doesn’t expect the horrible scenes in the States to be repeated when the Ryder Cup heads to France in 2018.
‘With respect, it doesn’t happen in Europe,’ he insisted. ‘Some (American) guys were saying: “It’s the same for us when we come to Europe.” But it’s not true.’
Kaymer shot a one-under-par 71 at Carnoustie in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship yesterday, but the spotlight was on first-round leader Alex Noren, who equalled the course record with a 64.
It was the best round of the day on any of the three courses used for the Championship, although Ross Fisher shot 65 at Kingsbarns to sit second — just two ahead of a group which includes Scotland’s Scott Jamieson. The 32-year-old can secure his European Tour card for the year with a strong finish here.
He said: ‘It was in my mind coming into this that I need a good week. One solid week and it’s done and dusted — but one great week and I could have my best season yet.
‘If I finish in the top 20 then the most important goal is probably taken care of in terms of securing my card — but if I can get a top ten or top five then you are talking about getting into the Final Stage events.
If I can keep playing the way I did today then I’ll be right in there come the end of Sunday.’
Meanwhile, Danny returned to action following his controversial time at the Ryder Cup.
Willett’s brother Pete’s description of the US crowds as a ‘baying mob of imbeciles, cretins and dumb Yanks’ caused the spectators at Hazeltine to single out the 29-year-old and his family for abuse.
In contrast, Willett yesterday played in front of a Carnoustie crowd as far-removed from the one in Minnesota as possible. There was silence on the tees and greens and there were ripples of applause for good shots and audible sighs when a putt lipped out.
Willett’s amateur team-mate — the pro-am event unfolds concurrently with the serious business of chasing the £627,000 prize — was his caddie Jonathan Smart, himself a good golfer.
Willett declared it ‘great fun playing with friends’.
However, he found it tough going in testing winds and finished the first day one-over par, nine shots off the lead.
With the tournament being staged at rotating venues, Willett and Smart are off to Kingsbarns today and then St Andrews tomorrow and, hopefully, on Sunday.
Having completed his round, Willett preferred not to talk about the events at Hazeltine and the subsequent fall-out.