European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke’s confident there’ll be no hecklers to upset Sergio Garcia should he qualify for next year’s Ryder Cup in suburban Detroit, Michigan.
Garcia was heckled, booed when in contention for victory at the recent Players Championship, and with one boozed-up punter singing out a four-letter expletive as he encouraged the Spaniard to find the water down the last at TPC Sawgrass.
The seven-time Ryder Cup capped Spaniard recently brushed off the incidents saying: “It’s normal. When a European is playing against an American, some of the guys start making it like the Ryder Cup and kind of take it to a different level.
“I’m sure it happens to Rory (McIlroy), too. Obviously I’m all out for somebody cheering but others wishing bad things is never a great thing. But I’ve heard it before. We’ve all heard it before.
Darren Clarke says Sergio Garcia big enough to handle any Hazeltine hecklers.
“It is not something I can’t deal with or make me want to quit. It’s not that big a deal.”
The worst of the heckling was over the final two Sawgrass holes with chants of “USA, USA,” before blatant distractions directed at Garcia on the 18th tee both in regulation play and over the play-off holes.
“As soon as I got into the lead and that was for about 11 holes, and when they are yelling from a few feet away, it’s very difficult not to hear it, and it was continuous,” he said.
“I’m not asking them to cheer for me. If they want to cheer for Rickie (Fowler) or someone else, I’m fine with that.
“But when it gets to the point where people start cheering against someone, me or anybody else, then it doesn’t feel like golf.”
Clarke, commenting ahead of this week’s Irish Open, sought to play down the issue as a one-off incident.
“There is hecklers in every crowd not matter if it’s golf or any sport, and there will always be somebody who will sing out whatever and that just happens,” said Clarke.
“But then with Davis (Love 111) as the U.S Captain, and given the spirit and the immense respect that I know Davis shows to the game that would not be part of what he would want at a Ryder Cup, so I’m sure you won’t see it at a Ryder Cup.
“It’s not the first time and Sergio just gets a little bit heckled more in the States but then Sergio’s a tough guy and he can handle it.
“Poults (Ian Poulter) gets it as well and it is was it is and they’ll be fine, and besides they are old enough and tough enough to deal with any hecklers.”
And Clarke confirmed is not about to change a winning formula in announcing he intends sticking with the same two category Ryder Cup qualifying process as adopted by victorious Gleneagles team leader, Paul McGinley.
