The Ryder Cup fallout in golf continues.
After a week of crowd controversies at Bethpage Black — from Rory McIlroy’s heated exchanges with American fans to video footage that appeared to show that his wife had beer thrown at her — PGA of America president Don Rea found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Rea’s interview with the BBC, in which he downplayed the abuse McIlroy and his family faced by comparing it to the atmosphere at a youth soccer game, was widely branded a “car crash” moment online. Critics accused him of failing to acknowledge the seriousness of the abuse and of excusing fan behavior that McIlroy himself later described as “unacceptable.”
But Rea has now hit back.
PGA of America President Doubles Down
Writing on LinkedIn, he acknowledged the backlash but struck a defiant tone. “This is my profile not the PGA’s,” Rea said.
“I’m personally taking some criticism right now and that comes with the role and just like when I was an umpire I expect it. However to the students and PGA members that follow me, know this, I am not bothered.”
“I know who I ultimately serve,” added Rea. “The truth is still the truth. New level. New devil.”
See his post in full right here:
Far from backing down, the PGA chief’s comments show he is standing firm, even as debate around golf’s fan culture and standards rages on.
Rea’s response to the incidents is a marked contrast to that of the PGA Tour of America CEO Derek Sprague, who told The Athletic this week that he had a long phone call with Seantold The Athletic this week O’Flaherty, who represents McIlroy, and shared a letter he wrote to both Rory, and his wife.
“I sent a long email to share with Rory and Erica and just told him that we will do better in the future,” said Sprague.
“I’m the CEO now. I don’t condone this type of behavior. This is not good for the game of golf. It’s not good for the Ryder Cup. It’s not good for any of the professional athletes, and we will do better.”
He added: “I’m disappointed in fan behavior, disappointed in the first tee and the emcee that it’s just that’s not who we are. And I was just really, really, really disappointed.”