Lee Westwood took out his PGA Championship frustrations on his Twitter followers and later apologized, while fellow Brit Ian Poulter suggested doing bodily harm to odious golf fans who scream for players to get their balls in the hole, mash their potatoes, and tune into Keegan Bradley’s favorite radio shockmeister, Howard Stern.
Sincere apologies to my sponsors and true followers for my earlier comments . It was out of order and out of character ,Westy .
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 12, 2013
Westwood tweeted his mea culpa on Monday after an evening of heated virtual dialogues with critics who bashed him for again falling short of winning his first major. The 40-year-old Englishman who lostthe lead at the British Open and finished 13 shots behind PGA champion Jason Dufner on Sunday said he was sorry for verbally abusing "minions" and "girly boy trolls" who tweeted about his 6-over 76 in the final round at Oak Hill.
While the 14th-ranked player in the world with 11 top-10 finishes in his last 23 majors deleted some of his more offensive tweets ("Just sick of negative a******* sat behind a keyboard with a pitiful mate,""Like I give a f*** what the haters say," and "Come on you girly boy trolls! I’ve won over 2 mill on course this year!" according to The Guardian), many remain on his Twitter page.
"@Louis_Evison: @WestwoodLee Will you just STFU and go and learn how to putt!!!"will you get a life first?
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 12, 2013
You minions need to live from the inside out rather than the outside in!!!!
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 12, 2013
"@Heydawro: @WestwoodLee@IBFinchy Lee, you don't take criticism very well do you !!"not from unachieving low life's . No!
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 12, 2013
At least one scribe was appalled by Westwood’s tirade -- though not, perhaps, for obvious reasons.
Shocked by Lee Westwood's foul-mouthed Twitter attack http://t.co/oujtnciI9X - spells "pussy's" (plural) with an apostrophe. No standards
— Ally Fogg (@AllyFogg) August 12, 2013
Westwood, who threatened to quit Twitter two years ago due to foul messages directed at him, turned the tables on his attackers this time with some nasty words, which he claimed as his own.
Not been hacked. Just honest. Bored now. Westy out.
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 12, 2013
Poulter, meanwhile, initiated a social media campaign to silence the vocal few, like this nitwit:
Sadly for the rest of us, dolts shouting all manner of moronic mantras, from the traditional "Get in the hole!" to the 21st-century versions of such idiocies that range from "mashed potatoes" to "Baba booey," are growing in numbers, with some unashamed to admit to their cretinism. Those are the folks who drive Poulter 'round the twist.
This baba boo shit & mash potato crap shouting wouldn't happen at Augusta, The Open, nor would it happen at Wimbledon. Tazer the thrushes.
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 11, 2013
Poulter received a tweeted correction from Stern about the spelling of the nickname of his producer Gary Dell’Abate.
RT @HowardStern it's spelled Baba Booey >> How have you only just got more followers than me. I thought you was big time. Hahahaha
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 11, 2013
He then launched an online crusade to get the PGA Tour to take action against imbeciles on the other side of the ropes.
Folks what you think @PGATOUR should do with all this screaming stupid things right after impact. Write you comments into @PGATOUR
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 12, 2013
I'm calling for @PGATOUR to step in & stop this shouting out right after shots. Message in to @PGATOUR with your thoughts. Tazer them?
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 12, 2013
Poulter, who recorded at T61 at Oak Hill, was still at it Tuesday morning.
Is this the atmosphere we are asking for in golf. Golf is a game of respect and honesty Not stupid outbursts. BA Boom.
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 13, 2013
I find it an issue when someone shouts out on impact miss it when your putting. Or when some calls Get in the rough. Simply Disrespectful
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 13, 2013
I have no problem with this Baba Booey it's simple. @pgatour have said they will remove the few that spoil it for the real golf fans.
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 13, 2013
Westwood, in the meantime, has maintained Twitter silence since tweeting his apology.
More golf from SB Nation:
• Tiger, Phil go quietly | Lefty has plane to catch
•'The Duf' character and PGA a perfect match | Keegan abandons airport trip to celebrate
•Ian Poulter is NOT happy about all the shouting | Tiger giving up on 'Sunday red'?
• GIFs Mickelson does crescent kicks…or the hurdles? | Matt Kuchar gets stuck in the sand
•Rory's shot extinguished by water ball | Dufner has a fat lip