- Tensions flared between players and caddies during a Ryder Cup fourball match.
- The argument began after Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie allegedly stepped in Justin Rose’s putting line on the 15th hole.
- Despite the confrontation, the post-match handshake was cordial.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Tensions are always high at the Ryder Cup. But that typically pertains to the relationship between the crowd and the visiting team.
This time, it was the players and caddies becoming feisty with one another during the afternoon fourball match between Team USA’s Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler and Europe’s Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, who took exception with DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, stepping in his line on the 15th hole. Both DeChambeau and Rose made par, and the walk to the 16th hole is where tempers flared.
DeChambeau took exception to Rose reprimanding his caddie and let Rose know as they walked off the green and to the next tee box. Fleetwood inserted himself and had his own back-and-forth with DeChambeau. And Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, started getting into it with Francesco Molinari, a vice captain for Europe who was walking with that match.
Rose and Fleetwood won the match on the next hole and the handshake between the parties involved was cordial. Afterward, Rose said he was disappointed that the frakas became a talking point after a high-level match.
In Rose’s mind, he was ready to hit his putt and asked Bodine to move ‘maybe not as politely as I could have done, but in the scenario, it’s coming down the stretch.’
‘We both have a lot on our minds and it’s intense out there. I said to them, ‘If I should have done it a different way, I apologize.’ But other than that, I had to step up and hit a huge putt with a lot going on,’ Rose said. From my point of view, I was just trying to protect my own sort of environment to execute. It’s all part of it. It’s up to them if they want to take it the wrong way but from my point of view, there’s no malintent.’
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he spoke to all parties involved and that the dustup was in the past.
‘I mean, I think it was a little bit disrespectful, but Justin Rose told me after on the green that they had talked it out,’ he said.
Team Europe, for its part, has relished the chance to torture the Americans on Long Island for two straight days as they take an 11.5-4.5 lead into the final day of competition and, barring something truly miraculous on the part of the USA, will become the first Ryder Cup winner on foreign soil since 2012.
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