A golfing legend criticized American golf fans at the US Open for their chanting against Rory McIlroy on the final hole at Pinehurst No. 2 last weekend.
After McIlroy missed a short putt on the final hole – ultimately ruining his chance at fighting for a major title – the crowd began to chant ‘USA’ as he stood over his next shot.
That drew negative reaction from across the pond – including from three-time US Open runner up Colin Montgomerie.
The Scotsman told TalkSport: ‘The American fans that attend a golf tournament are not generally golfers. You get The Open, or a Scottish or an Irish event, and it’s usually golfers who attend those events. They appreciate and understand the etiquette of the game.
‘In America, it’s not. It’s a lot of baseball fans and football fans who have been drinking all day and love to shout the word ‘USA’.
It’s not really golf. It’s not the etiquette of the game. It’s very anti rest of the world. America feel like they are the best and the loudest. They certainly are the loudest.’
That volume even extended to the final group – where eventual winner Bryson DeChambeau was seen telling the crowd to be quiet as playing partner Matthieu Pavon marked his ball.
In his playing days, Montgomerie generated a reputation for his attempts to quiet hecklers – particularly in the USA, an environment he once dubbed as ‘hellish’.
That likely won’t stop in 2025 – when the Ryder Cup comes back stateside to Bethpage Black in New York.
Montogomerie added: ‘I had that through my career. When you become a threat like I became, and Rory is, and [Sir Nick] Faldo can attest to this – he never won the US Open and there probably was a crowd element to that as well.
‘It’s very difficult to play a course of that difficulty, you get the odd unlucky break, and you’ve got the word ‘USA’ being sang in your ear for five hours, it’s hard work.
‘I always felt winning in America was harder than anywhere else because of that.
‘Leave it for the Ryder Cup and let’s congratulate and celebrate good golf, as opposed to what goes on behind the scenes.
‘I think Ludvig Aberg suffered on Saturday, playing with Bryson, he hadn’t had that feeling before.
‘And I’m sure Pavon had that issue. Bryson was jeering up the crowd, of course, because that was how he was going to win, with the support of the crowd behind him.
‘But we don’t get that in Britain. We celebrate good golf, whoever it might be.’
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