Valid Complaint or Whining? Westwood on Weekley...

[iacas]

Just heard Westwood complain again on TGC about bad American behavior and poor sportsmanship. Sounds like sour grapes to me. I have always liked Westwood but this turns me off towards him now. He's made a big mistake by stating this because you know fans will remember this next time he is here playing in a tournament. Just ask Monty.

Seriously. The behavior today was no different than it has been in Europe recently. Wha wha wha, cry me a river, loser.

[Three Putt]

Seriously. The behavior today was no different than it has been in Europe recently. Wha wha wha, cry me a river, loser.

Agreed!

The US fans were just fine, par for the Ryder Cup. USA won wire to wire!! The Euro "Big Guns" misfired....that was the difference.

[bruce]

Valid complaint,the crowd was like a baseball crowd,you never see that bullshit in Europe,

[MSDOGS1976]

Valid complaint,the crowd was like a baseball crowd,you never see that bullshit in Europe,

Funny how we see things differently. Kind of like democrats and republicans I guess.

[iacas]

Valid complaint,the crowd was like a baseball crowd,you never see that bullshit in Europe,

With all due respect, have you seen a Ryder Cups before? Like, for example, the one in 2006?

[dornoch]

Look, Weekley made the adjustment to egging on the crowd after everybody putted out today. Everybody has to make an adjustment to a team match play. This isn't the British Open, where a good shot is made and everybody politely claps.

I personally never had a problem with Garcia's behavior at the Cup before, because the match should be about passion and excitement. I feel the same way about Weekley this time. As an opponent, if you don't want to see that kind of thing, silence your competitor with your clubs.

I also wouldn't want every player doing that like at Brookline in 99. But having 1 or 2 sparkplugs/grating type players add something to the team format. Just like a good pest/agitator who can play in hockey.

There's only 1 greater sound than the roars when you win at home. That is the golden sound of silence when you win on the road

[EquipmentJunkie]

There's only 1 greater sound than the roars when you win at home. That is the golden sound of silence when you win on the road

As former competitve athelete, I could have written that myself.

[Dub]

Lee needs to go to a pub with his mates and hoist a few pints and shake off the loss.

He doesn't need to be whining on camera. That stuff will haunt him every time he tees it up here.

[JaY_B]

With all due respect, have you seen a Ryder Cups before? Like, for example, the one in 2006?

With all due respect, the atmospheres were incomparable, Westwoods complaint was about the behaviour of the American fans during the week, it was not announced after the loss of the Ryder Cup, it was just made to look that way.

[Mr.Buckethead]

-Americans are just quick to pick out who the .....well, the word rhymes with pick ......is.

-I could hear the roars from the front nine from my front porch. It really was a spine-tingling sound. Kinda disappointed that I couldn't hear the victory roars though.

-With all the pounds Westwood makes you would think he would have better teeth.

[iacas]

Westwoods complaint was about the behaviour of the American fans during the week, it was not announced after the loss of the Ryder Cup, it was just made to look that way.

Lee talked about it after the matches. You're incorrect. He mentioned it after Friday's round with Boo, said it was okay on Saturday, then complained again after losing his singles match on Sunday.

So yes, Lee did say it after the loss. The other Euros were asked about it and not a one backed Lee up - they all said "the atmosphere was great, the fans were energetic but respectful, etc." Padraig basically said the opposite of what Lee said.

[Doctorfro]

Lee and others complaining about decorum...........sour grapes. Get over it! Put a helmet on! And Euro crowds are no different from USA. Some people behave properly, some don't. And Boo........a genuine dude with no overinflated ego playing his butt off for his team and country. To me, he's a gentleman with passion. The sport could use more like him although if you think about it, there's only one Boo.

[golfcat31]

IMHO, Westwood was whining. He also whined after a bad round at this year's PGA tournament when he shot in the upper 70's that the course was set up ridiculously hard. I think he shot 77 the first day and he played the same course of those who shot 68's.

The Ryder Cup is great. It is so different from normal tournament play. Every two years it alternates from US to Europe. They treat us the same way I am sure.

The way I see it, if Westwood doesn't like how the US does things, stay across the pond. Stop whining!!!!!

[golfcat31]

Valid complaint,the crowd was like a baseball crowd,you never see that bullshit in Europe,

Did you get a chance to watch the 2006 Ryder Cup or any other Ryder Cups? This is the Ryder Cup, Solheim is the same way. It is not traditional golf. It is a team event. Fans cheer their teams. If you don't like the galleries, refuse to play. It should be a privilege to play for your country or continent but if the galleries might offend you ---- DON'T GET INVOLVED.

Etiquette is a huge part of golf, agreed. The part I don't get, this is match play, Boo makes a long unlikely putt and you expect Boo and the crowds to not acknowledge? Get real! The putts that were celebrated needed to be celebrated. You can bet your sweet ass that if Tiger had made a putt like that in tournament play, the crowds would have erupted. Yeah, Boo got excited. He should have, good for Boo. You go Boo!!!! Lighten up. Where is your team spirit? 40,000 spectators were at the Ryder Cup each day. There is a home course advantage and I can't believe you just noticed this for the first time. It is always this way. Oh yeah, speaking of baseball like crowds. What about the par 3 at FBR in Phoenix where they get booed if they miss the green?

[Surefire]

Just out of interest, how many people here have actually been to a tour event on both sides of the pond?

Just wondering how many of these crowd comparisons are based on real experience, or just media hype.

[GolferDot]

Boo was out of line hyping them up before westwood finished the hole. But yes overall the atmosphere looked great. Just a shame so many are dwelling on this ONE indiscretion (including westwood).

[martin00015]

I've been to major tournaments of both sides of the Atlantic. The crowds are pretty much the same - overwhelmingly friendly and polite, mostly very knowledgable, a few idiots.

What we say about them is also what they say about us, with different accents. And we're both wrong.

The world distribution of morons is pretty even everywhere.

[iacas]

Boo was out of line hyping them up before westwood finished the hole.

Yeah, that's the part I don't agree with at all. It's not like the crowd cheered for 90 seconds, and you can't expect 10,000 fans to wait after Boo holes a bunker shot for eagle or a long birdie putt or hits it stiff on a tough par four to WAIT to cheer. They're going to cheer, so let them cheer for 30 seconds, and they'll quiet down in time for Westwood. Big deal.

The guy walks around and looks at his putt from every angle as it is - do you need stone silence while you're walking around to look at your putt from the other side and your opponent is still walking up to pick his ball out of the hole? No. Like the crowd is gonna wait until after Westwood misses (or makes) to cheer the great shot Boo just hit.