Grame McDowell singled out the dangers in sport’s four-letter game after Patrick Reed’s ‘Trial by TV’ verbal outburst during the WGC – HSBC Champions.
McDowell was competing in the same group as his Gleneagles Ryder Cup rival and admitted after moving three shots clear of the field on day two of the Shanghai event he never heard Reed launch a four-letter tirade of abuse at himself in three-putting the first green on day one of the $US 8.5m event.
Reed was so upset by reaction to the incident, including CNN running with the story in media-controlled China, he sought out countryman Bubba Watson to seek guidance from the self-confessed Bible-loving double Masters winner.
Graeme McDowell says players must watch their tongues in the age of political correctness. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“Patrick said to me, ‘Hey, I did something bad’ and then he showed me the video clip,” said Watson who shares second place behind McDowell on six under par.
Watson advised Reed to ‘tell everyone you’re sorry’ so he then went back to his own room tweeting his apologies.
“I made a stupid error that’s for sure and I’m definitely sorry for the word. It should never have happened and in this game of golf it’s a gentleman’s game and that should never happen,” said Reed post his second round.
“I’m young and growing up and I’ve had temper issues on and off the golf course, and as you know I live and die through every shot.
“I’m not sure if I will get a fine or not. I will just have to wait and see. All I can handle is myself moving forward and playing some good golf.”
McDowell posted a bogey free 67 as he chases a first WGC title and then stressed the implications of crossing the line of political incorrectness as we saw with Bishop being sacked as PGA of American CEO over his sexist remarks directed at Ian Poulter.
“We always joke that golf is a four-letter word and there is a lot of four-letter words when you play the game of golf but then we are on global television and we have to be aware that we have to be very careful what we say,” said McDowell.
“I don’t blame Patrick for using a profanity but then it was just an unfortunate choice of words, and we also live in a world where those small snowballs turn into one giant snowball when someone videos that and puts it up on Twitter, and then it gets repeated and repeated all around the globe.
“He didn’t mean anything by his remarks and playing with him today I know he is sorry for what he said, and he wishes he hadn’t said that.
“We’ve seen in the celebrity world the power of social media can be very financially rewarding but then you can type yourself 140 characters and have yourself in newspaper front page headlines the next day.
“You just have to careful about opinions because it makes us so much more touchable and approachable and inter-active with our fans.
“But then you see a video clip like yesterday and it ends up on CNN, so ‘yes’ he should not have said it but is Patrick being unfairly dragged across the coals I don’t know.
“Though guys say things all the time out here and it gets picked up by microphones, and Patrick uses one word that is politically incorrect and he we are still talking about it.
“I still get texts from my mum when I’m heard swearing saying she’s disappointed in me but like I said golf is a four-letter word, and it’s a frustrating sport and we use language we shouldn’t use on international television but that’s the same in any sport.
“Then we also saw a few weeks ago a leading official used sexist terms bad things can happen and you don’t want to be saying anything that is not PC so it’s a very sensitive universe these days.”
Shane Lowry rebouned from a first round 78 with a 69 that included a mid-round run of birdie, birdie and then an 11th hole eagle where he drilled a 5-iron from 213-yards to just eight feet.
“It was a good bounce back from yesterday after a very disappointing round and that 78 came out of nowhere,” he said.
“I had nine birdies winning the morning Pro-Am on Wednesday, so then come out and shoot a 78 really sat me on my backside.
“But I was delighted today with how I got myself back into the tournament and to shoot three under par was very pleasing.
“So if I can get myself back to par tomorrow then I will be delighted because I had an awful bogey at my eighth hole and then had two birdies and an eagle.”
Lowry heads to the final two rounds sharing 49th place and needing to break into the top-20 to be assured of a top-50 World Ranking for a first time in his caeer.
