While most of the golf world condemned the treatment that tainted Team Europe’s 15–13 win at Bethpage, the PGA of America President, Don Rea, stood out for all the wrong reasons. Even now, ​​his delayed apology for downplaying the abuse toward Europe’s players has done little to undo the damage. Weeks later, the criticism hasn’t faded, and now, even Augusta National’s chairman has joined in.

Chairman, Fred Ridley, weighed in on the issue, joined by the R&A chief executive, Mark Darbon, during the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai. “I don’t think that anyone was particularly happy with what happened this year,” Ridley said of the Ryder Cup. “I think it just reminds us, as custodians of the game, of the responsibility that we have to perpetuate its underlying values. I think hopefully this is something we’re going to focus on more, because I think that’s part of what makes golf special, it is a different sort of set of rules, if you will.”

Darbon, who has been in the role for less than a year, agreed. “There are very few sports that succeed anywhere around the world without a strong following and passionate supporters,” he said. “But I think one of the things that defines golf… is there’s real strength in the values of the game. They are so critical. And so we as leaders within the sport need to perpetuate and exemplify and role model and showcase those values, because without them, it will become much harder to grow this game.”
The stances they take stand in sharp contrast to what Rea had initially taken.

During a BBC interview, Rea appeared to minimize the issue, comparing the behavior to what one might see at “a youth soccer game.” He also remarked, “I haven’t heard some of that. I’m sure it happened. It happens when we’re over in Rome on the other side, and Rory understands.” Those comments struck many as dismissive, especially given the extent of what had unfolded, from chants of “F*** you, Rory” and slurs from the crowd to reports that a beer was thrown at Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica.

The backlash was swift. Players like Matt Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry publicly rebuked Rea’s remarks, calling them “offensive” and “astonishing.” Critics argued that his words reflected poorly not only on him but on the PGA of America as a whole. 

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Days later, Rea issued a formal apology to members, conceding that “some fan behaviour clearly crossed the line.” In his letter, he wrote, “It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America… We condemn that behaviour unequivocally.” He added, “While it wasn’t my intention, some of my comments were seen in a negative light which reflects poorly on not only myself but also on the PGA of America and for that I truly apologise.”

Even so, the damage was done. Plus, this is not the first instance Don Rea has faced criticism over his statement at Bethpage. Other than Fred Ridley and Mark Darbon, several notable golf personalities have also questioned the PGA of America President’s intent. Let’s see what others said about him.

Don Rea faced criticism for the Ryder Cup 

Soon after Don Rea claimed his ignorance of the mistreatment of Team Europe at Bethpage, quite a few expressed their disappointment in how he handled the situation. The initial backlash came from the netizens, who were shocked to learn how he reacted.

They shared how disgraceful it was for a PGA of America leader to behave this way. Reports also came in that he was seen performing during a karaoke session for the players hours after the Rory McIlroy & Erica Stoll beer incident on Saturday.

After the fallout, Rea released a statement on his official LinkedIn account saying that “I am not bothered” about what people were saying. He received a lot of flak as analyst Michael McEwan questioned him for “doubling down’ on the statement, calling it a bold strategy. Don Rea’s statement certainly presented the PGA of America quite negatively. Even if he did backtrack with an apology to Rory McIlroy & Erica Stoll, it will be hard for everyone to forget the damage he had already done.