The Zach Johnson-led American team has had a disappointing start to the Ryder Cup. But the nation’s pride is on the line as the team is aiming for a comeback in the evening four-ball session on Saturday. But even so, the current tournament has not been short of drama, as Rickie Fowler was brought into the limelight amidst a humiliating performance.
The PGA Tour star was rested for the second day and was alleged to be sick. But a new revelation has come out denoting some other reason for the professional’s absence—nothing short of a dirty and dramatic one at that!
The real reason behind the absence of Rickie Fowler from the greens
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The American Ryder Cup star was absent from the action on the second day, and as per reports, it was due to an infection. The commentators also disclosed during the game on Friday that he might be down with a sinus infection. However, the latest revelation points to Captain Johnson as the reason for his absence.
A tweet was uploaded by NUCLR GOLF on their social media handle, divulging the reason for the same. It mentioned how Steve Sands reported that the decision to bench the 34-year-old was made by the skipper following Fowler’s 2&1 loss with Collin Morikawa against Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka.
Moreover, the American golf television personality also pointed out how the decision was “not health related,” as opposed to what the viewers and fans were led to believe. This revelation, coupled with the fact that the skipper refused to comment on anything specific about the players during the conference on Friday, only adds weight to the report.
🚨#BENCHED: Steve Sands reports that Rickie Fowler has been benched by Zach Johnson and that the decision to not have him play on Saturday was a ‘captains decision’ and ‘not health related.’ @RickieLegion
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) September 30, 2023
Nevertheless, this has not been the first claim of tensions among the teammates in the biennial tournament. Another report that was disclosed a little while ago indicated a rift among the members following one of America’s worst Ryder Cup campaigns.
Is there an ugly split on the cards for the US Ryder Cup team?
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An absurd report mentioned how Patrick Cantlay believed that players should be remunerated for their appearances at the prestigious tournament. The player going hatless on Friday was his way of protesting against the no-pay format.
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Although there is no prize money for the competition, the PGA rewards $200,000 each to their squad members, which is then split up among charities of their choosing, along with the Boys & Girls Club of America, the Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship, and PGA Junior League Golf. Nevertheless, the professional was not happy with this arrangement, as he found a partner to back him up in Xander Schauffele, who also went hatless on Friday.
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What do you think of the drama that has transpired over the past couple of days? Share your thoughts below.