A quick question: when do you think heckling is okay? Don’t think too hard or for too long on this one. The answer is the most obvious one. Yes, never. It’s never okay to heckle a golfer, and one person got a sobering reminder of that. At the center stage was Zach Johnson, and his Ryder Cup captaincy of course. 

It’s like a ghost that refuses to leave ZJ’s back. Over a year, or 463 days to be more specific, has passed since the last Ryder Cup. We are actually nearer to the next one than to the last one. But yes, some are yet to stomach that Marco Simone thrashing. One of such people was at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. 

As Johnson and his caddie walked past him, the person shouted, “We lost the Ryder Cup because of you.” Johnson heard it, looked at him, and ignored him. Not his caddie though. He walked up to the person. “Would you shut your mouth?… You got a problem with [him]?”

Responded the person, “Yeah Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.” Burns went 1-2-0, and Thomas went 1-2-1 at Marco Simone last year. This fan’s point, as he explained in the tweet, was Team USA lost the Ryder Cup because Burns and Thomas were picked ahead of Bryson DeChambeau and… well, Dustin Johnson (!). 

Picking Thomas and Burns was a controversial decision no doubt. More so, because arguably DeChambeau was in a better form. This one got a lot of criticism back then as well. However, here is the thing: time has passed. ZJ’s caddie said, “Go talk to them [Thomas and Burns]. Shut up. Don’t be a d**k.”

While everyone has the right to question Johnson’s decision, taunting someone in between two holes was not the most ideal behavior. ZJ’s caddie actually left with a laugh and so did the person, but netizens were absolutely not impressed by this behavior.

Fans stand by Zach Johnson on this one

Golfers don’t like hecklers. There have been cases of eviction (so to speak). Justin Thomas once asked a fan to leave after they were interfering with his game. Back in the day of DeChambeau-Brooks Koepka feud, the two-time US Open champ made a similar remark. Johnson of course doesn’t ask anything like that. But netizens would rather have him outside Torrey Pines.

One user wrote, “I’ve given ZJ, JT, etc all more than enough s**t for how they handled the RC in Rome but I’m with the caddie here. You’re being an a****** and antagonizing them for no reason.”  “10000000% warranted. This is giga-douchebag behavior,” wrote one fan. 

Well, that seems to be the prevalent sentiment here. More so, because Zach Johnson has faced this more than once since the Ryder Cup. In fact, at last year’s WM Phoenix Open, the 12-time PGA Tour winner himself had to slam a group of fans. Apparently, someone remarked on his Ryder Cup captaincy. The former Open champion lashed out, “Don’t ‘Sir’ me. Somebody said it. I am just sick of it. Just shut up.”

The current situation was strangely reminiscent of that. Dan Wolken of USA Today, wrote, “The one man in America still re-litigating Zach Johnson’s Ryder Cup picks from two years ago has identified himself.” In fact, Taylor Twellman, the lead MLS analyst of Apple TV commented, “Dork. I’m with ZJ caddy here.”

Another user was bemused by the choice of Johnson. “Bryson would’ve helped, but if you think DJ and how he approaches the game these days would’ve been an upgrade over literally anyone on the team, you don’t have a clue.”  DJ had only four top-tens, including a victory, in his last 25 starts across LIV Golf, Majors, and Asian Tour International Series. While his form was better in 2023, Johnson’s pick would’ve still raised multiple questions.

Nevertheless, it’s pretty clear where the golf community stands. No one likes heckling like this. It’s one reason last year’s WMPO, despite being called the People’s Open, actually irked golf fans.