The Ryder Cup is a wildly entertaining golf event.
The team format — and the U.S.-against-Europe setup — gives fans a little something extra to root for, and the atmosphere carries more spark as a result. You’re not just pulling for your favorite golfer; you’re pulling for your countrymen or your continent. And the typical rules of decorum are loosened as a result — at least by golf standards.
Last weekend at Bethpage Black, things were even more intense than usual. There was yelling, taunting and cursing from fans. One man was arrested and accused of stealing a golf cart. The tournament emcee stepped down after taking part in a foul-mouthed chant directed at Rory McIlroy (she later apologized).
It got to the point where McIlroy said, “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” and a former U.S. Ryder Cup captain apologized to the European team, saying he was “ashamed” of it all.
Did it go too far? We’ll let you be the judge.
While you’re considering that question, take this week’s news quiz, which touches on the Ryder Cup but dives into a number of other topics as well. And make sure you check out our daily Connections: Sports Edition, too!
Top stories mentioned in this week’s quiz
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Top photos: David Cannon, G Fiume, Michael Hickey, Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
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