Boorishness rears its head again

CHASKA, Minn. — The rude behavior of a small percentage that packed Hazeltine this week was a topic of conversation following the United States victory.

A number of people were ejected, including a nitwit yesterday who shouted as Rory McIlroy was in his backswing on the 16th fairway. The crowd pointed him out and security escorted him away, and the issue was brought up by one American journalist who claimed he was “embarrassed to be an American with what was going on.”

Apparently, he’s never been to a hockey game.

McIlroy said at times things had gone too far, but “when you’re teeing off at 7:35 in the morning and you’re seeing people on the first tee with a beer in their hand and matches aren’t finishing until 4:30, 5:00 in the afternoon, I know I would be done at that point. I don’t know what I would be saying.”

That drew a laugh that lightened the moment. Lee Westwood quickly added that U.S. vice captain Bubba Watson and several American players “were trying to cut all that off and doing their bit to stop that yesterday as well.

“On a good point, I got called a turd yesterday for the first time since I was about 12, so it made me feel young again!”

Perhaps the best comment on the subject came from Sergio Garcia, who was subjected all week to rhythmic mocking of his 0-73 record in major championships. That surely had to irk him, but he put the fight face on it.

“I definitely know I haven’t won a major,” Garcia said as his team applauded. “But I do have five Ryder Cups with some amazing teams and I wouldn’t give any one of them away for a major. The only thing I can do is hopefully change that up so the next time we come to the U.S. they will tell me, ‘Ah, you only have one,’ or something like that.”

Battle of the titans, too

Everyone was talking about the classic confrontation between Patrick Reed and McIlroy, a heavyweight match won by the American when he took the lead after McIlroy bogeyed the 12th hole and never relinquished it, but there was an equally titanic struggle between Garcia and Phil Mickelson that ended up halved when Garcia birdied the 16th.

Mickelson had 10 birdies and a bogey. Garcia had nine birdies, and they played the course in a combined 18-under.

“I know I birdied five of the last seven holes and he birdied the last four,” Mickelson said. “It was probably a fitting result with a tie, even though I wanted to win.”

Despite how well both played, Garcia saw it as “definitely a negative.”

“I was out there to get a point, not to get half a point,” he said. “I tried to deliver. Unfortunately, I was just a little bit short, but it was a great match.”

Arnie not forgotten

During the Ryder Cup trophy presentation, European captain

Darren Clarke noted Arnold Palmer, who passed away the previous Sunday, must be looking down and smiling. That sparked the crowd to chant The King’s name, with Clarke made no effort to stop. . . . Not only did Europe’s Danny Willett go 0-3, he was also dogged all week by the crowd and reporters after his brother posted a lengthy criticism of American golf fans prior to the competition.

Asked to describe his first Ryder Cup experience, Willett said, “Crap!” (He used more colorful language.) Garcia turned and highfived him.