New York: Player-turned-commentator Paul Azinger was labelled as “embarrassing” by Ian Poulter as Tommy Fleetwood failed to record his first PGA Tour win on Sunday.
Azinger, who in 2008 captained the US team to one of their rare Ryder Cup victories in the last 20 years, said on network NBC that Fleetwood choked under pressure to prove himself “at the highest level” because “you can win all you want on the European Tour but you have to win on the PGA Tour”.
Poulter led a social media backlash. “Paul please do not condescend or disrespect the @EuropeanTour and our players like that,” he tweeted.
World No. 10 Fleetwood, runner-up in two majors, is no choker. He has won five times on the European Tour and in the 2018 Ryder Cup with British Open Champion Francesco Molinari formed the first partnership to win all four matches.
“We have slapped you ... in Ryder Cup for so long. I know you captained a win but seriously that was embarrassing today,” added Poulter.
