Matt Fitzpatrick on Don Rea's apology and how far Europeans were prepared to go over US fans

Speaking earlier in the week as he prepared to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Scottish soil, major winner Fitzpatrick claimed that Rea saying that some of the things witnessed outside the ropes had “happened when we were in Rome (for the 2023 match)” had been “pretty offensive to European fans”.

Derek Sprague, the PGA of America’s CEO, had already issued an apology after Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica, had almost been hit by a beer cup thrown by someone in the crowd on Long Island and an under-fire Rea has finally followed suit.

“While the competition was spirited - especially with the US team’s rally on Sunday afternoon - some fan behaviour clearly crossed the line,” Rea wrote in an email sent to PGA of America members. “It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA or as PGA of America golf professionals. We condemn that behavior unequivocally.”

Fitzpatrick responded to Rea’s apology after completing his round at Kingsbarns on the second day of this week’s $5 million DP World Tour event, which also features three of his triumphant Ryder Cup team-mates in Bob MacIntyre, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood.

“I wouldn’t say I was pleased,” said the Englishman. “I said what I said because of the experience we had and some of the stuff that was said. What was said to me personally about my Sketchers and braces, I thought was hilarious. I thought it was pretty funny.

“But what Rory and Shane [Lowry] and Erica got was ten times worse and I think it was only right that they issued an apology. My experience was that they sounded a bit bitter that we had beaten the Americans.”

That was reference to Rea creating what Fitzpatrick described on Wednesday as “bitterness” when he shook hands with the European players at the trophy ceremony, especially when he mentioned they had “retained” the trophy rather than acknowledging their 15-13 win in the event’s 45th edition.

It was reported that the entire European team were prepared to down tools if the heckling during swings got out of order, with Bob MacIntyre being the first to be impacted in that respect when he had to stop mid-swing on the tee at the par-3 17th in the opening foursome session.

“What we’ve said was we won’t hit until they stop shouting on back swings,” said Fitzpatrick. “It was never a case that we were going to walk in.”

Fitzpatrick, the 2023 winner, was happy to be out in one of the first groups on Friday, meaning that he didn’t have to play nearly as many holes in miserable wet conditions as the later starters.

“It was basically a case of hanging on in there at the end,” admitted the Sheffield man, who is partnering his dad Russell in the team event on this occasion after already landing it with mum Sue two years ago. “Not much wind to start with and the course was pretty easy. But this course feels the hardest when it blows because it’s so open.”

Smiling, he added: “Someone is going to have to show me four good days of weather at this tournament - because I’ve never seen it!”