CORRIGAN SAYS TOURS SHOULD HAVE BANNED GARCIA FROM THIS WEEK'S CHAMPIONSHIP
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By JAMES CORRIGAN
Sergio García should not be playing in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Thursday.
García should be sitting in a room far away – perhaps even laid out on a
couch – reflecting on a remark which he first intended to be “funny”, then
wished to be viewed as “silly”, but which Tiger
Woods rightly described as “hurtful, wrong and wholly inappropriate”.
The Spaniard should have been told to withdraw from the European Tour’s
flagship event. Instead, he informed a packed press conference on Wednesday
that he had not even been fined by this Tour or the US PGA Tour.
Incredible, isn’t it? Golfers are routinely hit with £5,000 sanctions for
throwing clubs around. But throw a racist jibe across a room containing 300
guests, causing offence on a much wider level, and all the professional has
to do is apologise and appear contrite.
And golf wonders about its reputation.
And golf wonders about its reputation.
It is insulting to cast some of the officials involved as middle-class white
men turning the other way. But it is their fault that perception is
inevitable.
Let us consider what has happened to Woods since he supposedly broke down all
those barriers at the 1997 Masters.
He had not even finished making that history when Fuzzy Zoeller made the
original “fried chicken” wisecrack.
Zoeller paid for his comments – which were only “made in jest” – by losing contracts and his form. The poor lamb.
Zoeller paid for his comments – which were only “made in jest” – by losing contracts and his form. The poor lamb.
Zoeller was not suspended by the US Tour, but for some reason was still, in
some quarters, projected as the victim. The whisper was that Woods could
have and should have helped the lovable veteran with a kindly statement.
Golf seemed to have a problem appreciating the vile undertones in his casual
racism.
Fast forward to 2011 and Steve Williams on stage at a caddie awards night at a World Golf Championship event, announcing he was glad that his boss Adam Scott won an event because “I wanted to stick it right up that black asshole”.
There was not any pity for Williams, a gruff Kiwi who hardly inspired affection, but again there was no fine or suspension from the Tours; just another worthless statement saying how “disappointed” they were, but recognising that Williams had apologised.
There is a trend developing here and if was happening in a sport such as, say, football there would be a very loud and justifiable outcry. Yet golf carries on regardless, trampling over sensitivities in the stampede to the ATM.
García explained he did not withdraw from this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth because “this tournament deserves me”. He actually believes he is that important.
The game must now show genuine leadership. But after two of the most powerful men in golf – the European Tour chief executive and the US PGA Tour commissioner – briefly met with García on Wednesday lunchtime they displayed a stunning disregard about the seriousness of the situation.
“We consider the matter closed,” they said, ignoring the problem in the hope it might go away. But it will not, regardless of how rigorously they try to brush it under the corporate rug. Woods has the right to make his living in a workplace which does not tolerate racism.
But no, the official statement dismisses García’s outburst as “a stupid remark”. That just about sums it up. As Woods said, it was too hurtful and too wrong to be classified in the “stupid” or “silly” bracket.
Woods deserves better, golf deserves better. And this BMW PGA Championship does not deserve Sergio García.
Fast forward to 2011 and Steve Williams on stage at a caddie awards night at a World Golf Championship event, announcing he was glad that his boss Adam Scott won an event because “I wanted to stick it right up that black asshole”.
There was not any pity for Williams, a gruff Kiwi who hardly inspired affection, but again there was no fine or suspension from the Tours; just another worthless statement saying how “disappointed” they were, but recognising that Williams had apologised.
There is a trend developing here and if was happening in a sport such as, say, football there would be a very loud and justifiable outcry. Yet golf carries on regardless, trampling over sensitivities in the stampede to the ATM.
García explained he did not withdraw from this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth because “this tournament deserves me”. He actually believes he is that important.
The game must now show genuine leadership. But after two of the most powerful men in golf – the European Tour chief executive and the US PGA Tour commissioner – briefly met with García on Wednesday lunchtime they displayed a stunning disregard about the seriousness of the situation.
“We consider the matter closed,” they said, ignoring the problem in the hope it might go away. But it will not, regardless of how rigorously they try to brush it under the corporate rug. Woods has the right to make his living in a workplace which does not tolerate racism.
But no, the official statement dismisses García’s outburst as “a stupid remark”. That just about sums it up. As Woods said, it was too hurtful and too wrong to be classified in the “stupid” or “silly” bracket.
Woods deserves better, golf deserves better. And this BMW PGA Championship does not deserve Sergio García.
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
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