154 - Ship Ahoy!

How to ruin a golf tournament in one easy step: invite American’s to spectate. Over four days fans respectfully observed the British Open, appreciative of the difficulties facing the professionals as they battled the Old Course at St Andrews. Then the yanks pipe up.

Polite clapping is replaced by the moronic battle cry of ‘in the hole’ when Tiger Woods tees off at the 12th even though the pin is 350 yards away and he is hitting into a 30mph wind. Camilio Villegas’s tee shot was sent on its way with ‘Lets go gators’, bellowed by some dolt from across the pond.

I was so sick to death of hearing moronic screams from American’s every time Woods hit the ball that I ended up muting the TV. The over the top shouts and yelps almost ruined the whole tournament for me.

I was thrilled to see the challenge from Woods fade on the last day, not because I didn’t want the great man to be battling it out to win his third Open at St Andrews, but because I knew the coverage would be focussed elsewhere on the course away from the boorish masses from the other side of the Atlantic.

In contrast to the fans, the American players were polite and respectful throughout the tournament; even the joy vacuum that is Eldrick was humble when he was getting interviewed. Tom Watson was the consummate gentleman as ever; he is an absolute credit to the sport and his country.

The BBC cornered Stewart Cink, Ricky Barnes, John Daly, Rickie Fowler, Mark Calcavecchia and Phil Mickelson over the weekend and all expressed their honor at taking part in a special event at a special venue, they talked about how privileged they felt to be playing there. If only the fans were so restrained.

I’m all for fans cheering on their hero or compatriot but I think it should be done with a degree of respect and humility, something completely missing from the loud mouthed minority that felt the need to howl whenever an American touched the ball at St Andrews.