PGA Chairman Don Rea apologizes for his behavior at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup.

PGA of America President Don Rea Jr. finally apologized Thursday in an email to more than 30,000 golf professionals, after previously comparing hostile comments at the Ryder Cup to those you might hear at a youth soccer game. Europe took a record lead after two days and cruised to a 15-13 victory, its sixth in the last eight Ryder Cups, though the event was marred by crowd behavior that turned personal and rude.

The PGA of America has been dealing with the fallout from its lack of response to the behavior at Bethpage Black, which began Friday morning when a small group of fans shouted, “(Expletive) you, Rory,” upon seeing Rory McIlroy’s image displayed on a video screen on the driving range. The situation escalated with vulgar language directed at European players and an incident in which a beer was knocked out of someone’s hand and onto McIlroy’s wife. In addition, a comedian hired to entertain on the first tee joined in the expletive-laden chants toward McIlroy.

In an interview with the BBC, Rea commented: “You’ve got 50,000 people here who are really excited, and, well, you could go to a youth football match and hear some people saying inappropriate things.” He also mentioned that the fans’ behavior was distracting to the American players, who had to expend energy controlling the crowd.

The Associated Press obtained his letter to PGA of America members, which began by saying: “Let me start with what we must acknowledge. While the competition was intense, especially with the U.S. team’s comeback Sunday afternoon, the behavior of some fans clearly crossed the line.” Rea added: “It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and does not represent who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA golf professionals. We condemn this behavior unequivocally.”

The situation was such that McIlroy began to respond, telling a spectator to “shut the (expletive) up” during a foursomes match on Saturday morning. Both McIlroy and Shane Lowry responded to the crowd during their fourballs victory that afternoon. When asked directly about the insults directed at McIlroy, Rea stated: “I haven’t heard some of that stuff. I’m sure it happened. It happens when we’re in Rome, and Rory understands that. Things like that are going to happen.”

Matt Fitzpatrick commented on the Rome reference: “It’s quite offensive to European fans that he would say that, really.” Lowry called the level of abuse directed at McIlroy’s wife “astonishing.” Derek Sprague, CEO of the PGA of America, also spoke out on Golf Channel, stating that viewers crossed a line and that he planned to personally apologize to McIlroy and his wife, Erica, who previously worked at the PGA. “Rory might have been a target because of how good he is, but the entire European team shouldn’t have been subjected to that,” Sprague said. “I feel bad and I plan to apologize to them.”

Rea also drew criticism for an awkward trophy presentation on Sunday, in which he mentioned that Europe had retained the trophy, rather than winning it. He later posted on his LinkedIn page: “I’m taking criticism right now, and that comes with the role, and just like when I was an umpire, I expect it. However, to the students and PGA members who follow me, know that it doesn’t bother me.” He linked to a sermon he gave three years ago and concluded: “The truth is still the truth. New level. New devil.”

“What makes our sport great is that we own our bogeys. We certainly own this one,” Rea said in his letter to PGA members. “Our CEO, Derek Sprague, has apologized on our behalf to Erica and Rory McIlroy and everyone at Ryder Cup Europe. I would also like to personally apologize to them and to all of you for not representing our association in the best possible way with some of my comments in the media during the event.”

Although it was not my intention, some of my comments were viewed negatively, which reflects poorly not only on me but also on the PGA of America, and for that I sincerely apologize.” He concluded his email with: “God bless and, as always, Go USA!”

The PGA of America announced in 2013 that it would bring the Ryder Cup to Bethpage Black, a proud public golf course on Long Island known for its direct comments to players. Ted Bishop was the PGA president and Pete Bevacqua, now athletic director at Notre Dame, was the CEO at the time of the announcement. Bishop was removed as president in 2014, with one month remaining in his two-year term, for a social media post in which he referred to Ian Poulter as a “little girl.”