THE RYDER CUP is “too nationalistic” and all the “punching and waving incites the crowd to riot”, says legendary commentator Peter Alliss.
This year’s clash is up in the air, with the coronavirus pandemic already having pushed back Euro 2020 and the Olympics.
Europe captain Padraig Harrington has raised the possibility of his 12 men defending their title at Whistling Straits in September behind closed doors.
But Tommy Fleetwood, who formed the history-making ‘Mollywood’ partnership with Francesco Molinari in Paris almost two years ago, reckons it would be “sad” without fans.
Alliss, who played in eight Ryder Cups and is dubbed the ‘voice of golf’, might beg to differ though, after putting forward a withering critique of what the clash has become.
Speaking to the 3 Off the Tee podcast, the 89-year-old said: “The Ryder Cup’s always been greatly exciting but I’m sorry that over the last few years it’s become too nationalistic.
“All this punching and waving at air, inciting the crowd to rioting almost. I don’t particularly care for that.
“But the actual excitement from the matches is amazing and the Ryder Cup has become one of the world’s great sporting events.
“It’s so competitive and although it’s not a shared ball game, it’s a slow death, it’s painful.
“You have time to think. Some of the other great ball games you don’t have time to think, you do it in a reflex action, but in golf you do it in cold blood.”
A fan who told Rory McIlroy to “suck a d***” was kicked off the course at the 2016 Ryder Cup.
And some European fans were criticised for booing Americans on the first tee and cheering when they missed putts in Paris two years ago.
Alliss – who caused a sexism row in 2017 when referring to the length of Sergio Garcia’s then-fiancee’s skirt after he had just won The Masters – also hit out at the “ridiculous” pace at which pros play these days, while revealing he would want Halle Berry to make up his dream fourball.
He said: “I’ve always fancied playing a round with Halle Berry. And if she didn’t play she could always pull my trolley just to make Tiger [Woods] jealous. That would suit me.”
