Don Rea Jr. was removed as president of the PGA of America effective immediately. The PGA of America board suspended him for the remainder of his two-year term, which ends in November, and named Nathan Charnes as acting president. Rea faced criticism for not apologizing after a New York crowd directed personal insults and homophobic slurs at European players during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Rory McIlroy said his wife was hit by a beer thrown during play, and he told a spectator to shut up during a match. Rea initially compared the abuse to youth soccer and said it distracted American players. He later apologized by email, and he also drew criticism for remarks during the trophy presentation and for a karaoke performance during the event.
"Don Rea Jr, who was cricitized for his response to verbal abuse directed at European players during last year's Ryder Cup, is out as president of the PGA of America, effective immediately. Tuesday's news came on the heels of the PGA of America's board of directors suspending Rea for the remainder of his two-year term, which ends in November. PGA of America vice-president Nathan Charnes was named acting president."
"Rea came under fire for failing to apologize amid a raucous New York crowd hurling personal insults at Rory McIlroy and his family during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last September. An MC at the event resigned after she led chants of Fuck you, Rory aimed at McIlroy; homophobic slurs were shouted at golfers; players' wives were insulted. McIlroy said his wife, Erica, was hit by a beer that was thrown during play."
"In an interview on the Sunday morning of the Cup, Rea dismissed the abuse as no worse than what's said at a youth soccer game and said the behavior was distracting American players because they had to expend energy helping to control the crowd. You've got 50,000 people here that are really excited, and heck, you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things, he told the BBC. A week later, Rea apologized to PGA of America members in an email."
"Rea was also caught on video performing a karaoke version of Eminem's Lose Yourself when the US trailed Europe by seven points. He ruffled feathers at the end of the matches, when he said Europe retained the Cup rather than won it outright during the trophy presentation. Rea had been the president of the PGA of America since November 2024."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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