Europe's two best players, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, were relegated to golf cart duty heading into today's Ryder Cup matches.
Apparently, Westwood is suffering from the ill effects of blisters (or something), and Dr. Nick Faldo thought it would be in the team's best interests if one of the best Ryder Cuppers in recent history sat out Saturday morning.
But even before we learned of Faldo's lineup for today, Westwood was dealing with other, equally inane issues during yesterday's action. And that had everything to do with U.S. rookie Boo Weekley, his Southern simpleton image, and his lack of golf decorum. At least from Westwood's perspective.
"You walk a fine line when you start doing that sort of thing (revving up the home crowd by waving his arms during their afternoon match.) - between using the crowd to your advantage when you're at home, which you do by playing good golf, which they were doing - and going over the line where you take it too far," Westwood said.On several occasions the camera caught Westwood looking back at Weekley with a "yeah, this isn't an alligator-wrasslin' competition, it's the Ryder Cup" glare, but apparently Boo was too engrossed in the moment to notice.
"I don't mind when they're raising their arms and whooping the crowd up, but there's no reason to do it between the shots, [like] the 12th hole where Boo holed it from off the back and I've still got a putt for a halve.
"At least wait until you're walking off the green. It was interrupting the flow of play. It was quite boisterous. What more can you say? We're playing in America."
When Westwood's concerns were brought to Weekley's attention, he admitted, "Well, I don't mean to [distract him] if I did." Too bad Weekley's not playing this morning, because he could sing redneck karaoke between shots and it wouldn't affect Westwood's game since, you know, Faldo isn't playing him.
Golf Wives at Ryder Cup
LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 17: (L-R) Anne Haghfelt, Caroline Harrington, Laurea Westwood, Jocelyn Hefner, Valerie Faldo, Kate Rose, Lauren Smith, Ebba Karlsson, Monteserrat Bravo Ramirez and Emma Stenson, the wives and partners of the European Ryder Cup team, pose before the Ryder Cup Gala inside the Brown Hotel prior to the start of the 2008 Ryder Cup on September 17, 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky.
David Cannon, Getty Images
United States Ryder Cup golfer Ben Curtis and his wife Candace arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
United States Ryder Cup golfer Jim Furyk and wife his Tabitha arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
U.S. captain Paul Azinger and wife, Toni, arrive at the Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
Europe's Ryder Cup golfer Henrik Stenson and his wife Emma arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
United States Ryder Cup golfer Boo Weekley and his wife Kayrn arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
United States' Kenny Perry and his wife, Sandy, arrive at the Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
United States Ryder Cup golfer J.B. Holmes and his wife Sara arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
United States' Justin Leonard and his wife, Amanda, arrive at the Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
Europe's Ryder Cup golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez and wife, Montserrat Bravo Ramirez arrive at the 37th Ryder Cup Gala in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008.
Rob Carr, AP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
9-20-2008 @ 11:21AM
Jim said...
Maybe Boo will be the US teams' Sergio. I know a lot of the Americans hate playing against Sergio in the Ryder cup, because of his good play and his antics.
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9-20-2008 @ 12:01PM
Wade said...
Tell the Euro's to go complain elsewhere.
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9-21-2008 @ 1:13AM
Ron said...
ever notice the the bleeping Europeans always cry about something in the Ryder Cup when their losing!
9-20-2008 @ 12:09PM
Matt said...
Boo is one of the bigger embarrassments on tour but in this case what he did was fine.
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9-23-2008 @ 7:48PM
dave said...
boo is not an embrassment you idiot--he is good for any sport how many of the euro ass whips do you hear saying yes sir and yes mam after interviews--you could learn some manners yourself--
9-20-2008 @ 12:09PM
GrapevineSooner said...
Afterwards, Lee went up to the bar and ordered a cranberry juice.
Because it's his period.
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9-20-2008 @ 7:53PM
me said...
The cranberry juice was his period?? you're a real rocket scientifico - kinda like boo...
9-20-2008 @ 12:38PM
Matt said...
Good for Owen, er I mean Oliver Wilson.
Never won an event and all of a sudden the guy is a Ryder Cup hero.
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9-23-2008 @ 12:37AM
cj said...
shut the hell up
9-20-2008 @ 1:37PM
? said...
yea i dont think westwood has anyright to get angry, the European team has a long history of doing similar things that Boo did yesterday...
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9-20-2008 @ 1:43PM
Dr Huxtable said...
It was great to see Boo trying to pump up the crowd. Too bad it didn't work. The cheering never seemed to get any louder when he would do that. I guess he forgot that he was playing golf, and not in Happy Gilmore's world either.
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9-20-2008 @ 5:21PM
rich rokosz said...
Has anyone ever watched and listened to the antic's when we play over there? Sergio? Parnevik? Please...give me a break. I do believe in courtesy, class, decorum...all that good stuff...but real heart-felt enthusiasm...good for U.S.!!
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9-20-2008 @ 5:37PM
Sunny said...
"At least wait until you're walking off the green. It was interrupting the flow of play. It was quite boisterous. What more can you say? We're playing in America."
Yeah, where we are allowed to show emotions. lol Sorry if he doesn't want to have fun. It's not like he was in the middle of a shot or anything. America may have a lot of faults, but being free to show their feelings is not one of them. I am glad I am not expected to be stoic all the time. How dreary a life that would be!
And, just as he thought it was bad form for the American player to cheer the crowd on, I think it's bad manners to disrespect your hosts, so he's not really able to stand on any soap box in regards to manners.
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9-20-2008 @ 5:57PM
RayRay said...
What more can you say? We're playing in America."
WTF? Go back to where you came from asshole....
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9-20-2008 @ 6:33PM
Larry said...
Respect the player... Fear his game... Boo is keeping the USA in the game.. Don't hate him.. Take advantage of the home field advantage. They thought they were gonna come in and steam roll over the USA (think again) because we were tigerless.
Roll Boo Roll!
MHS
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9-20-2008 @ 7:31PM
Tombas Vedderam said...
Since Westwood doesn't understand the US culture he should shut his mouth! He's welcome to say what he wants when the competition is in his own country. The USA is not England...thank God. I do not mean to disrespect the British as most of them are fine people. Westwood may be a good fellow, but he has a big, boorish mouth.
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9-20-2008 @ 7:43PM
T ony said...
I understand Westwood. We are in a time where good sportsmanship is seldom ever displayed. There is too much showboating in American sports today. This was not the case in the forties and fifties. The athletes had more class back then.The title " Ugly American" which was used in the sixties or seventies, I'm not sure, can easily be applied today. Its a shame, because it gives an impression that were all like that.
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9-20-2008 @ 7:57PM
John said...
Westwood is right. We don't need one shot wonders pimping a crowd. This isn't croquet, but it shouldn't be made into the freaking NFL. Boo is a hick. Maybe he should chant, "U-S-A, U-S-A." ridiculous.................
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9-20-2008 @ 9:18PM
DZ said...
John...Go back to watching your croquet matches. You only wish you could hit the ball like Boo. This is a team event, similar to NFL play, and there's no better a team player than Boo Weekley. Go Boo. Whoop it up all you want!!
9-21-2008 @ 7:07AM
billy said...
go boo