Opinion & Analysis
Sergio being Sergio? Not this time
Before Sergio Garcia’s racially insensitive remarks at the European Tour awards dinner Tuesday night, the golfer had already made a series of imprudent decisions.
He made comments about Tiger Woods pulling a club during his backswing, causing a commotion, which led to an errant shot at The Players Championship. The notoriously malcontent golfer then suggested that Woods had done it on purpose and indicated that he didn’t particularly care for the world’s No. 1-ranked player.
Never one to let sleeping dogs lie or bite his own wagging tongue, Garcia, in a press conference earlier this week, suggested that Woods is a liar, generally impugned his character, and reiterated that the golfer is unlikely to be receiving a Christmas card from the Garcia family.
What began as a difference of opinion or perspective between two of the game’s best has turned into a mess worse than Garcia’s play at the 17th hole at Sawgrass nearly two weeks ago.
If there was an award at Tuesday night’s gala for the “Most Racist Remark since Fuzzy Zoeller at the 1997 Masters” or “Lifetime Achievement in Putting One’s Foot in One’s Mouth,” the Spaniard would likely have been a finalist.
Before we deal with Sergio’s Stupid Comments, Part XXIV, it’s worth noting that I enjoy when the world’s top professional golfers, who are generally reserved when they’re on the record, speak their minds. But his actions over the last two weeks display a real lack of both insight and foresight, which, unfortunately, speaks volumes about his inability to capitalize on the tremendous potential he first showed nearly 15 years ago.
On to the remarks at the center of the present controversy. In response to a question about whether he’ll be interacting with Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open next month, Sergio said,
“We’ll have him ’round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”
In introducing the quote, I nearly said, “On to the meat of our discussion,” but that seemed insensitive in light of the comment at hand. I don’t consider myself a great intellect or an exemplary human being; however, I refrained from the previous statement given my judgement that it could potentially offend or be considered in poor taste, which is exactly what Sergio didn’t do.
Think before you speak, about your audience, the context of your comments and the implications of what you’re saying. It’s not a radical proposition, nor is it a difficult habit to practice; however, it’s a bit of advice that’s essential in any remotely civil society.
Garcia knew the words shouldn’t have left his lips just as they were reaching the ears of the eager press corps, but just like when he spit in the cup at Doral in 2007, he just couldn’t help himself. Certainly, he’s apologized and said the right words since. Unfortunately, apologies rarely redeem a public figure in the court of public opinion.
As a result, he is in hot water — even with his current equipment/clothing sponsor, TaylorMade-adidas golf, who released this statement about Garcia:
Sergio Garcia’s recent comment was offensive and in no way aligns with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s values and corporate culture. We have spoken with Sergio directly and he clearly has regret for his statement and we believe he is sincere. We discussed with Sergio that his comments are clearly out of bounds and we are continuing to review the matter.
I can write off Sergio’s feud with Tiger over the last few weeks as Sergio being Sergio. But his comment in Europe crossed the line. It’s extremely unfortunate for Sergio as well, who prior to Saturday at The Players appeared to be moving forward — with his putting, with his maturity and toward a major championship.
But he’s taken a huge step backward, and has likely done irreparable damage to his image. And if he thought the hecklers were tough to deal with at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in New York City, he’s got something coming for him at Merion next month.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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Butchercass
Jun 11, 2013 at 6:44 am
Firstly, American fans really need to have a good look at themselves. Shouts of “egg salad, get in the hole, mashed potato, fried chicken.. (oh wait, is that last one rascist?) *gulp..Let the golf speak volumes and mute the small percentage of “fans” that persist in shouting when a player hits a shot. It’s infururaiting.
Sergio has had some banter..end of conversation.Leave the lad alone. He’s is breath of fresh air if you ask me to all these young robots coming through the ranks. It’s only rascist as it was aimed at a black person. Anyone seen Django at the cinema? Great film.. not rascist.
Mick J
May 30, 2013 at 4:41 pm
I am way more upset at the media reaction to this than to Sergio’s actual comments
Jack
May 29, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Sergio is a person of the world and is not subject to the idiotic lowest common denominator thinking that has occurred in the USA. His comments were just a joke, nothing more. The behavior of the person asking the question is actually more relevant in terms of racist remarks.
Michael
May 29, 2013 at 11:54 am
Tiger said that the Marshall informed him that Sergio had already hit. Then he proceeded to grab his club. The Marshall in an interview said that they rarely speak to the players and no one told Tiger that Sergio had hit. Who is the Liar?
sss2013
May 25, 2013 at 12:46 am
What really gets me in all the media coverage is that most articles come across as Tiger being an active participant in all mess-up when he’s hardly said a word. To Tiger, Sergio is nothing but an annoyance not worthy of much consideration or waste of voice…note his “no” response. The media is trying to make Tiger look as “bad” in a tit-for-tat cat fight when he couldn’t care less. HOWEVER, when the uninformed reads articles, it seems as if Tiger going back-and-forth. What a joke…
Servost
May 26, 2013 at 8:09 am
It helps when you completely own the other guy. Sergio needs to just stop talking about Tiger. And win a few majors, he should do that too.
Billymack572
May 24, 2013 at 9:55 pm
Why is this getting more coverage than Tiger’s incorrect drop at the Players, or is it too near to home and damaging to TV ratings to suggest that the prodigal son might be playing at the edge of the rules (have we forgotten the drop at the Masters already?)……
Glen
May 24, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Regarding Fuzzy’s statement all those years ago. If you ever get into Augusta you will find that the House Dinner is Fried Chicken with Collard Greens. The press neglected to do any research and blew a non-story into a racial one. It was bad journalism at best and a pre-cursor to today’s journalistic ineptness.
Brad
May 24, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Stupid comment from Sergio. Less stupid (but still boy-like) smirking in various press conferences recently from a guy (Tiger) with some real moral issues. Both have incredible game – Tiger is currently in a class by himself. When will a Hogan, Nelson, Nicklaus etc. emerge and bury these immature, stupid boys? Probably never — we have a system now that plants and grows little Scott Hochs and they seem to choke everything else out at an early stage in this sport. (Right now, their patron saint — Finchem — is busy making dangerous noise about the new anchored putting real.)
Keith
May 24, 2013 at 11:29 am
Was Sergio’s latest comment out of line? Sure.
However, it is the media that should be apologizing. I guarantee that if no one had specifically asked Garcia about the Players Incident then he wouldn’t have brought it up. The media thrives on controversy. They know all of the right buttons to push to elicit their desired responses.
Servost
May 24, 2013 at 9:27 am
I think Sergio will be playing a lot more golf in Europe for a while. Ryder Cup matches between these two should be interesting.
golftw
May 23, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Maybe he just makes good fried chicken; people need to stop pulling race into every single comment. Furthermore, you come off as quite conceded and seem to think you are above Sergio as a person.
scoot
May 23, 2013 at 5:25 pm
cheese with that wHine
scoot
May 23, 2013 at 5:23 pm
Tiger has owned the little boy for as long as he’s been on the scene. Sergio can’t handle not being anywhere close to the caliber of golf that he is up against. Now Tiger owns him in golf and war of words. Now Sergio is in the alligators. I bet he doesn’t break 80 at the US Open if he even shows up.He will probably have an excuse as to why he can’t make it to the event. He deserves this scrutiny even before this last bit of smartelic childlike behavior. How bout some cherse with that wHine El Nino
Matt
May 23, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Ben – Oh, I see what you did there!.. You “refrained” from saying what you thought, by saying what you thought. Is the air thin up there?
yo!
May 23, 2013 at 2:46 pm
I have a feeling Sergio will keep his mouth shut (about non-golf matters) from now on … losing your meal ticket from sponsorship is quite a motivator.
Seth
May 23, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Tiger and Sergio are just as imperfect as anyone else on the planet. We all have our shortcomings, some more than others yes, but look in the mirror and start there for craps sake. Ridiculous we have to be inundated with this stupidness, yet here I am sucked in and commenting on it.
bobloft
May 23, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Am I the only one who doesn’t care about this? Everyone is whining as much as Sergio.
gus
May 23, 2013 at 11:24 am
I think the ultimate insult to Tiger was stereotyping him with people which he himself does not associate with.
B
May 24, 2013 at 1:50 pm
True, he’s not even 100% black. His mother is Thai.
LK
May 23, 2013 at 11:16 am
Fried chicken does have a negative connotation bc it is unhealthy and African Americans are stereotyped as being overweight and unhealthy. Would you laugh if Sergio invited you and said he’d be serving bbq poodle? I’m tired of people saying, “But oh, it was just a joke.” How much bullying is just a joke? How many racist comments are just a joke? How many sexist things, and even sexual assault, have been justified as just a joke or “just playing around?” Hey, I know I just slapped your teen daughter on the rear but I’m just playing around. Don’t take it so seriously. See the problem here?
doc19
May 23, 2013 at 11:13 am
Also, for those saying it may be a European not being aware thing, his statement after the fact suggests otherwise. He basically admitted as soon as he said it he realized it was a dumb thing to say… and apparently lost sleep over it.
doc19
May 23, 2013 at 11:11 am
How did Tiger add fuel to the fire? Personally I think this whole thing was media driven to begin with, watching the Players and the coverage afterwards I felt like I was watching teenagers play “he said she said” during lunch period. It has happened in other sports, I guess it’s the new norm for golf.
Tiger’s actual response to the apology was this: “I’m confident that there is real regret that the remark was made, The Players ended nearly two weeks ago and it’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.” Doesn’t sound like adding fuel to the fire to me.
Is Sergio a racist? I don’t think so. Was the comment inappropriate and ill timed? Of course it was. We can debate cultural sensitivity and being PC until we are blue in the face, but we all can agree that a public figure making that statement is just plain stupid and points to poor decision making.
It is unfortunate really, this guy has all the talent in the world, he should have been winning majors for years. But his problem has never been his swing, it’s the 1 square foot of real-estate between his ears that has held him back.
bdgregor
May 23, 2013 at 9:25 am
I agree that Sergio screwed up, and anything even borderline racially insensitive should be reprimanded. However, I haven’t heard anyone point out something I would think is pretty obvious. Sergio has been around a long time, but do remember, he is European. People in Europe are not as aware of what is culturally insensitive in America. You do need to consider that Sergio may have used “fried chicken” as some sort of colloquialism for American food, or what us “yanks” like to eat. I would be willing to be that was more of the angle of his comment than anything sinister.
LK
May 23, 2013 at 11:20 am
Good point. Fried chicken is an awesome American creation as far as I know. But if so, Sergio would not have had a sick feeling after the dinner like he knew he was in for some serious trouble. The fact that he had a sick feeling means he knew the significance of his error and the racial connotations.
CJ
May 24, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Could’nt it be possible that someone told him immediately after dinner that what he said was and is considered racially insensitive in the USA?
Mike
May 23, 2013 at 7:22 am
Actually Sergio didn’t start this fire by himself….the door was opened by the reporter ” jokingly” asking the question. I personally find it more offensive when a married man with two kids and a wife can’t keep his promise he made to his wife on their wedding day….just saying…..
S5PJM
May 23, 2013 at 7:17 am
I think he was just trying to be funny and it came out wrong. I dont believe he is a raciest. He is not an AMERICAN and probably doesn’t even know why a fired chicken reference would be considered raciest by some people anyway. This is a NON ISSUE. Get on with it and play golf.
JKratz
May 23, 2013 at 8:08 am
I agree, he obviously knew a comment like that had to do with African Americans, but probably didn’t know the complete context. That being said, the media will continue to run the story into the ground like always as their main job is “shock and awe.” I’m waiting for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to now get involved until Sergio makes a large monetary contribution to one of them.
yoboy24
May 23, 2013 at 12:57 am
If Sergio had said “fried rice” instead of chicken would this be a big deal? NOPE! And I’m a HUGE TW fan, and don’t particularly like Sergio, but this is kind of ridiculous. If he was a racist we would have known that by now. Get over it and let’s get back to TW killing him every time they tee up. kthanks.
justplay
May 23, 2013 at 12:04 am
dude get over it !!!
justplay
May 23, 2013 at 12:02 am
making too much out of if always with the racist card !! stop it already!!
who cares
May 22, 2013 at 11:31 pm
no one cares about the stupid comments being made, just play golf and bring your A game to the us open next month for the fans
Blanco
May 22, 2013 at 11:27 pm
What a dunce this man is. I heard briefly on TGC that he’s claiming ignorance to the 97 Fuzzy comment altogether. Even if he had zero knowledge of that incident (which I don’t buy for one second), he’s essentially validating that the comment was not some “reference” (to Zoeller) but racial rhetoric of his own.
Finchem and the Euro Tour need to make it well known that such behavior won’t be tolerated in Golf and take disciplinary action. The game took a big step backwards today at the worst possible time. I hope the PGA/EuroTour and especially TMAG set the example in the hopes of “growing the game.” We need to do everything possible to make golf appealing to a new generation of young, diverse athletes from all walks of life.
Zak
May 22, 2013 at 11:17 pm
Ron,
If you think that it’s going to blow over before Merion, you’re underestimating the weight of the comment.
Vitriolic? I don’t see it. Sergio set this fire all by himself.
Ronald Montesano
May 22, 2013 at 10:43 pm
I think that you are adding fuel to the fire by suggesting that hecklers will be bad at Merion. In the first place, there will be fewer fans at Merion than Bethpage. In the second, the majority of fans that heckled Sergio were self-professed muni guys and nothing was done to corral them. The same will not take place at Merion, where the atmosphere will be more like Augusta than Bethpage. In fact, when I read your final sentence, I feel as though you were striving for a vitriolic ending. Show me that I am incorrect, please. That’s not what I expect from your writing.
Cyd
May 22, 2013 at 10:31 pm
So Sergio dissed eldrick. Cry me a freaking river. The only people that the slimeball eldrick is a hero to is the sycophant momma’s boy and the green light girl. Not any of them are persons I would want to be around in any type of social situation.
Forsbrand
May 26, 2013 at 7:17 am
That is a funny comment man, love it. Green light girl ha ha ha, I’m gonna use that in my next conversation!
Minh
May 22, 2013 at 10:24 pm
I completely disagree with the level of scrutiny Sergio has received. Everyone is so quick to pull the “race” card. Is it possible for anyone to take a joke? Is laughing at one’s ethnic background still possible?
My biggest issue with these situations is people choose which stereotypes to accept and which to call “racially insensitive remarks”. Infer a Black man like fried chicken and you’re labeled a racist. Infer a Black man has a large penis and you won’t hear a peep.
I’m of Vietnamese decent and I laugh off all Asian-related jokes. Yes, we are good at math, sure some of us might have small penises, sure some of us can’t drive, yes we all like fish and rice, and I personally don’t know of any Asian that eats cats or dogs.
This should be a none issue.
world42
May 23, 2013 at 12:00 am
Minh, Sergio didn’t say anything about himself, he said it about another man of a different race and ethnic background. Now, if he would have that he would cook him a Spanish dish, then the humor would have been easily seen, but he used a stereotypical saying that is used as a racial slur here in America.
B
May 24, 2013 at 1:46 pm
world42, I guess what Minh trying to say is that, it’s not racially offensive until you offend Black people. Other races don’t have luxury like this and they often make a big deal of it.
Forsbrand
May 26, 2013 at 7:11 am
Absolutely, I hear lots of us fans call padraigHarrington “Paddy” or “Irish” are they being racist too? Because both words can be perceived as rasist comments. I would suggest Sergio was having a joke that has been misinterpretated.
JT
May 26, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Minh, I agree with almost everything you said but you can’t be serious about the cat and dogs thing :).
Mike Hunt
May 22, 2013 at 10:05 pm
I can only imagine the hecklers at Merion in June. Sergio is going to get pounded by the not so morally correct US crowd
Forsbrand
May 25, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Since Golfwrx has covered a European event could we ask Golfwrx to incorporate more European Tour tournaments issues and spotlights please it would be gratefully appreciated thanks
free
May 26, 2013 at 6:01 am
“not so morally correct us crowd”?
dude, at least Sergio confined his disparaging remarks to just tiger….
listen, as a member of the “not so morally correct us crowd” I choose not to take offense at your comment but u may want to contact Sergio and take a seminar on moral relativism….
see my comment below about the splinter and the log….
Arthur J
May 29, 2013 at 11:14 am
Mike Hunt? Surely that’s a wind-up.
Carey
Jun 6, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Ah, yes. A Porky’s reference. My day is complete.