“Worst event in the world” - Veteran Gary Player lashes out at Ryder Cup amid crowd behavior

Golf veteran Gary Player has slammed the Ryder Cup 2025 after the crowd's behaviour in the latest edition. He said he was disgusted by what transpired at Bethpage and labeled it the worst event in the world.

The Ryder Cup 2025 took place in the last week of September, where Europe posted a 15-13 win to defend the title successfully. The event was quite controversial due to the crowd's disrespectful behavior towards the Europeans, especially Rory McIlroy.

Recently, Gary Player said he was in a state of shock about the Ryder Cup.

"I think, what would Ben Hogan have said, you know? What would Byron Nelson have said? What would Arnold Palmer, If Arnold Palmer saw that today," he sais as per The Palm Beach Post. "I was disgusted. So to me, the Ryder Cup is a shambles. "

"I love the fact that they say 'USA, USA.' I love (how) the British respond in their way. I think that's exciting. But the Ryder Cup to me is the worst event in the world. And to see a (PGA) hire a lady to stand on the tee, if you want to call her a lady, and saying 'F you, Rory. F this European team.' Are we crazy? And then the head of the (PGA of America) says, what was so serious about it?" he added.

For the uninitiated, comedian Heather McMahan was signed to cheer the crowd but it took another turn when she started making obscene chants directed at Rory McIlroy. This received several backlashes on social media and as a result both McMahan and the PGA of America issued apologies following the event.

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Gary Player champions education for the underprivileged

On Thursday, October 16, Gary Player shared a special post on Instagram, where he spoke about the significance of education. The post also featured his photograph at Blair Atholl School, the school his group founded several decades ago.

"At Blair Atholl School, I’ve seen firsthand how proper education and support can transform a child’s future," he wrote. "When children are given not only the tools to learn but also the encouragement to dream, they flourish. Education is the greatest gift we can provide. It opens doors, breaks cycles of poverty, and gives young people the confidence to believe in themselves. GP"

The Blair Atholl School was founded by The Player Group in 1983 in Johannesburg, South Africa and provides education to nearly 500 children up to eighth grade.