Masters boss and a governing body member commented on fan behavior at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York, where the Europeans pulled away 15-13
Fred Ridley has responded to the ugly fan behavior at the Ryder Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Augusta national chairman Fred Ridley and R&A chief executive Mark Darbon are among those upset with how Rory McIlroy and the Europeans were treated at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
McIlroy dealt with an incredible amount of abuse at the biennial event, and that included his wife who had a beer tossed at her. McIlroy spoke out during the event by mouthing back at fans from the course.
“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week,” said McIlroy.
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Tom Watson, Gary Player, and the CEO of the PGA of America were some who commented on the incident, and were not happy with fan behavior also.
“If Arnold Palmer saw that today… I was disgusted… so to me the Ryder Cup is a shambles,” said Player afterwards. “Are we crazy? And then the head of the PGA says, ‘What was so serious about it?'”
Now, more are commenting, including Darbon and Ridley. At the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Ridley was asked about the organizers of the Masters, which is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport.
“The fact that you asked the question and that we are all talking about it is really important. The Ryder Cup has gained just public interest in the last few years,” Ridley said. “It’s become incredibly competitive. I mean, 30 years ago, it wasn’t all that competitive. I think that certainly is good for the game and the interest that it’s created among fans around the world.”
Mark Darbon also makes comments about fan behavior at Bethpage Black
“I don’t think that anyone was particularly happy with what happened this year. I think it just reminds us, as custodians of the game, the responsibility that we have to perpetuate its underlying values,” Ridley added.
“And I think hopefully that this is something we’re going to focus on more, and because that’s part of what makes golf special is that it is a different sort of set of rules, if you will. It’s something I think we need to work on, and it’s something I think I hope everyone involved with the game will reflect on.”
Darbon, who is part of the governing body for golf worldwide, also added on, “I think first and foremost, you want and need passion. There are very few sports that succeed anywhere around the world without a strong following and passionate supporters.
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“But one of the things that defines golf, and I’ve worked in a number of sports and I’m new to this industry, one of the things that struck me in my first 10 or 11 months, is there’s real strength in the values of the game. They are so critical.
“They are a highly differentiating factor for us versus other sports, and they provide us with something many other sports would crave. Without them, it will become much harder to grow this game. Collaborations between organizations like Augusta National Golf Club and the R&A and brilliant federations all around the world are so critical to underpin and elevate those values.”
