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Paul Azinger vs Seve Ballesteros (1989 & 1991)
The needle and conflict between Seve and Azinger was probably the genesis of what we now know as the modern-day rivalry between Europe and the US. Seve once described the American team as ‘11 nice guys plus Paul Azinger’, so there was clearly no love lost between the two.
During their singles match at The Belfry in 1989, Seve had wanted to change his ball because he felt it had been scuffed and damaged. Azinger disputed the request and a referee was called in. ‘Is this really the way you want to play today?’ asked Seve.
Whether it was dirty tricks or not, Azinger got the better of the Spaniard and won at the last. The bad blood carried over two years later amid accusations of lying, cheating and bad sportsmanship.
The War on the Shore (1991)
The whole event at Kiawah Island was shrouded in controversy, not least with round two of the aforementioned spat between Seve and Azinger. But it all started before a shot had even been played.
At a time when America was involved in the Gulf War, several military references were made throughout the week and a couple of the US players (Corey Pavin and Steve Pate) even wore camouflage hats.
A local radio DJ revealed the hotel details and phone numbers for the European players, encouraging listeners to ‘wake up the enemy’ with early morning phone calls. This was the Ryder Cup where patriotism and partisanship went to another level.
American celebrations at Brookline in 1999 overstepped the mark in the eyes of the Europeans
Ryder Cup stalwart Colin Montgomerie had his fair share of run-ins with opponents and fans
Rory McIlroy was left furious at the antics of Patrick Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava in Rome
Monty on Brad Faxon (1997)
By the time the Ryder Cup came around at Valderrama, Seve had moved on to become captain and Colin Montgomerie was now Team Europe’s talisman. Never one to shy away from the odd bit of controversy, Monty lit the blue touch paper when he suggested Brad Faxon might struggle to deal with the pressure due to the fact he was going through a divorce in his private life.
‘Mentally, I don’t think he will be with it,’ claimed the Scot of his American rival. Several of the US players viewed that as a low blow and, in fairness, Monty would later apologise for his comments.
The Brookline Stampede (1999)
A monumental comeback by America in the Sunday singles, after trailing 10-6 heading into the final day, climaxed in the most spectacular fashion. As Justin Leonard stood over a 45-foot putt on the 17th, he knew that half a point against Jose Maria Olazabal would be enough for the US to retain the Ryder Cup.
Leonard had been four down with seven holes to play, but fought back. After holing a monster putt for birdie on the penultimate hole, it prompted wild celebrations from the Americans as they charged across the green in a stampede.
It was disrespectful and premature, given Olazabal still had a putt to take the match down the 18th. After the home team, sporting the most ghastly shirts in the history of the event, had trampled all over his line, Olazabal missed the putt and that was that.
Patrick Reed has been more than happy to play the role of pantomime villain over the years
Monty’s Mrs Doubtfire jibes (1999)
Due to various run-ins with the US crowds in majors and in Ryder Cups, Monty was effectively public enemy No 1 at Brookline. He was Europe’s best player — and also the biggest target for the home crowds.
Monty’s father had to retreat to the clubhouse after one individual was heard calling his son ‘a c***’. Monty fought back and had hecklers removed from the crowd, warning them he would continue to do so if the abuse kept up.
Perhaps most annoyingly of all, some of the US crowds teased him about an apparent similarity to Mrs Doubtfire, a likeness that had first been coined by David Feherty on American TV.
Shoulder-gate (2008)
With Azinger now captaining the Americans at Valhalla, he openly encouraged fans to be as boisterous and loud as possible, to heckle the Europeans, and to cheer their misfortune at every opportunity.
With Boo Weekley famously ‘riding the bull’ down the middle of a fairway, the home fans lapped it up. Ian Poulter later claimed he was shoulder-barged by one American player after teeing off. The player was not named, but it was widely believed to be Anthony Kim.
Lee Westwood also spoke of the ‘disgusting’ and ‘shameful’ abuse to which he was subjected, openly accusing Azinger of inciting the antics from the home crowd.
2008 USA captain Paul Azinger was accused of inciting the home crowd in Valhalla
Patrick Reed does his best to silence the Scottish crowds (2014)
If there was ever a player who seemed born to revel in the role of pantomime villain, it was surely Patrick Reed. Brash, bold and confident from the moment he set foot on the PGA Tour, it was clear the Texan didn’t care much what people thought of him.
At Gleneagles in 2014, he enjoyed a frosty relationship with the home crowds and continually tried to ‘shush’ them by holding his fingers to his lips any time he holed a putt.
He finished the week as America’s top points scorer, and the needle with fans certainly didn’t put him off. The rest of his team-mates were soundly beaten, however, as Paul McGinley and his troops secured a win in Perthshire.
Rory’s rage in Rome (2023)
In what became one of the iconic images from the contest in Rome, Rory McIlroy was on the warpath late on Saturday afternoon. It all stemmed from America’s Patrick Cantlay holing a monster birdie putt at the last in a fourball match McIlroy would lose alongside partner Matt Fitzpatrick.
Cantlay’s putt sparked wild celebrations, with his caddie Joe LaCava galloping around the green and waving his hat as McIlroy tried to line up a putt which would have halved the match.
McIlroy’s concentration was broken and he later launched into a furious outburst against Cantlay and LaCava outside the clubhouse, having to be restrained and pulled away by team-mates.
Tom Watson was publicly criticised by Phil Mickelson over his captaincy of the team in 2014
Patrick Cantlay’s snooze-fest and hat-gate (2023)
Beyond his caddie getting into a spat with McIlroy in the parking lot, Cantlay made plenty of other headlines. Infamous for the slow pace of his play, Cantlay was taunted by the European fans in Rome and told to get a move on.
He was also taunted for the fact that he did not wear a Team USA hat because of an apparent financial dispute with the PGA of America. Cantlay dismissed those claims once again earlier this week.
Phil Mickelson v Tom Watson (2014)
Saving one of the most bizarre spats until last, Mickelson against Watson at Gleneagles showed that sometimes the bickering and fighting happens in-house.
Clearly unhappy at how Watson had captained the team, Mickelson sat in the post- tournament media conference only yards away from his skipper and eviscerated him with all sorts of cheeky digs about how things were so much better under previous captains.
Given Watson is one of the most iconic figures in the game, and a legend in Scotland thanks to his victories in the Open Championship there, Mickelson’s words went down like a lead balloon.
They were classless and demonstrated why the Americans are so often blighted by a lack of unity and team spirit in the Ryder Cup.
