PGA chief faces calls to resign after Rory McIlroy | Golf News

Supporters have criticized Don Rea, the PGA of America president, for his response to the disgusting abuse focused at Rory McIlroy and his management of the trophy ceremony at the Ryder Cup.

Team Europe persevered despite a decided fightback from Team USA to declare the Ryder Cup 16.5-11.5, with Shane Lowry draining the putt that assured the Europeans saved maintain of the trophy. Although Team Europe secured the Ryder Cup outright, Rea said during the ceremony that they’d merely retained the prize.

McIlroy and his European colleagues confronted harsh heckling and personal assaults from spectators at Marco Simone, and demanded motion after claiming the Ryder Cup. Before the ultimate spherical on Sunday, Rea appeared to brush off the heckling, acknowledging that it is “going to happen” during the Ryder Cup. In one incident, McIlroy demanded motion after listening to a homophobic slur directed at him.

Rea might need mishandled the trophy ceremony in Italy, but a Sunday morning interview has subsequently turn into widely shared. When questioned about the fan conduct following a tense second day at the Ryder Cup, Rea told BBC: “Things like that are going to happen.”

The PGA of America president then made comparisons to other sports activities, arguing that it is not completely a golf drawback. “Well, you have 50,000 people there that are really excited and – heck – you can go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things,” he added, reviews <a href=”https://www.themirror.com/sport/golf/don-rea-mcilroy-ryder-cup-1420370″ rel=”Follow” goal=”_self”>the Mirror US</a>.

“We tell fans that booing somebody doesn’t make them play worse; typically, it makes them play better. So our message today, to everybody out here, is: cheer on the Americans like never before because that will always get them to play better. Get them out of crowd control and let them perform.”

When questioned straight about the harassment directed at McIlroy, Rea responded: “I haven’t heard some of that – I’m sure it’s happened. It happened when we were in Rome on the other side, and Rory understands.

“I believed he dealt with the press conferences amazingly. Things like that are going to occur, and I do not know what was said. But all I do know is golf is the engine of good.”

Following Rea’s remarks about McIlroy and his presentation speech, supporters expressed outrage and demanded his resignation. “Totally classless speech by saying Europe had RETAINED the Ryder Cup, (they gained it), he regarded like a bitter little man. Resign!” One supporter posted on X. “PGA ought to have acted faster and the speech from Don Rea was a shame… ought to resign,” another commented.

“I discover this deeply disappointing,” another supporter posted on X. “Our sport is constructed on values of respect, integrity, and inclusion – not ignorance or dismissiveness.

“It has to change, otherwise the event will lose its reputation,” another commented. “He should be resigning over the whole episode. An absolute plum,” one supporter declared.

“That’s an ignorant and insulting response to horrific behavior. Don Rea embarrassed himself and the PGA,” another penned.

Throughout the Ryder Cup, McIlroy was a prime goal of abuse, with fellow Irish golfer Shane Lowry having to be held back during Saturday’s play when a spectator began hurling insults at his teammate. Erica Stoll, McIlroy’s spouse, also confronted harassment when a fan tossed a drink her means.