CKNW Editorial
for September 28, 1999

The behaviour of the Americans at the Country Club in Brookline Massachusetts on Sunday was abominable and totally out of the spirit of Golf as a game. When Justin Leonard sank that big putt on the 17th hole, nothing had yet been settled; Jose Maria Olazabel still had a chance to halve to hole if he sank his putt but many of the American team virtually gave him no chance as they leapt into each others arms and exhorted the gallery to even more boorishness than it had shown already.

It must be said that the Americans didn't start this - it happened four years ago in England where the gallery taunted the Americans and was worse still when Spain hosted the event two years ago. But although one cannot excuse that boorishness it was confined to the gallery and did not involve the players.

The bad manners of the American team is explainable but not excusable. And I must tell you that I was pulling for the Americans so my comments are not sour grapes. I come from North America, not Europe and I'm a homer. The Americans mounted an incredible comeback and that alone contributed to the huge emotion. Moreover, the night before, as the Americans stood what seemed like an insurmountable four points back, non playing Captain Ben Crenshaw gave them a hell of a pep talk whereupon each of the players gave similar talks. The emotion as the golfers teed off yesterday morning was electric. Moreover, many of the players were very angry at commentator Johnny Miller who had called their courage into question. It was, then, one of those days where something bad was almost certain to happen - and it did.

I think there was another factor at play. Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara and David Duval, amongst others, had complained that they were not being paid - a sentiment with which I agree, incidentally. They're pros and somebody has to get that $20 million so why shouldn't it be, at least in part, the professionals who put on the show. But what happened, I think, is that Crenshaw had to shame many of the players into taking the matter seriously and part of doing that was appealing to their patriotism, something which is always very motivating for Americans.

What should have happened on that 17th hole was perhaps a shriek of delight from Justin Leonard as he sank the putt followed immediately by courteous silence as Olazabel was given his chance to halve to hole. Leonard misbehaved but his teammates who, after all, had no more status than any other member of the gallery at that point, should have kept still except, perhaps, to help still the gallery so that Olazabel had a fair shot at his putt.

It's difficult nigh unto impossible to allege that Olazabel would have made his 25 footer but it must be said that Olazabel is one of the best players in the world and a great clutch player. What cannot be denied is that his composure and ability to concentrate was much affected by the Americans' boorishness. I think there's an answer to this in the future - in fact two answers. The players themselves must appeal to the galleries on each day to show fair play and sportsmanship. Secondly, it should be within the power of the officials to forfeit any hole where one player has shown unsportsmanlike conduct unbecoming the history and traditions of the great game of golf. Had there been such a rule and had I been an official yesterday I would have unhesitatingly awarded the 17th hole to Olazabel.

Golf has always been the great game - that's because players must show terrific self discipline to the point of calling penalties on themselves.

Moreover, it is a game where the winners always respond to crises with dignity. It is impossible to imagine a Ben Hogan or Jack Nicklaus behaving as Justin Leonard did yesterday. Indeed, after yesterday's match it's hard to imagine Payne Stewart, a class act, behaving that way either.

It was a great comeback by the American team. Too bad it was so badly tarnished by an appalling exhibition of bad sportsmanship.