European Fans at Ryder Cup Trolled Patrick Cantlay With Hats and Paul Azinger Was Outraged

After reports circulated about why Cantlay wasn’t wearing a Team USA hat, European fans reacted accordingly.

European Ryder Cup fans waved their hats at Patrick Cantlay on Saturday at Marco Simone as unconfirmed reports swirled that the American has refused to wear a USA cap. 

The claims—which have not been confirmed by Sports Illustrated or even addressed by the U.S. team—made the rounds on social media, provoking the Europeans’ crowd reaction. Dan Hicks and Paul Azinger addressed the story on the NBC broadcast of the Ryder Cup to explain the bizarre gesture by the Marco Simone spectators. 

Europe's Ryder Cup fans have been out in full force this week :: IMAGO / Inpho Photography

“[Cantlay] has said that he is not being paid, why should I wear a hat if I’m not gonna get paid for it? So the reports are out there, they’ve circulated on social media. Those are the fans out there waving their hats right in the face of Patrick Cantlay,” Hicks said.

Fans waving their hats right in the face of Patrick Cantlay.
(via NBC) pic.twitter.com/hkAddHkvub

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) September 30, 2023

Azinger, a former Ryder Cup captain and four-time U.S. team member, immediately began to denounce the claims, calling the story “garbage” and “clickbait.”

“It’s hearsay, it’s garbage story,” Azinger said. “It’s just clickbait in my opinion. I don’t believe it. Zach told everyone yesterday that this American team wasn’t feeling well. What are they supposed to be, all huggy kissy? They’re saying they’re separated in the locker room and there’s this big fracture. I just don’t believe it.”

After his round, Cantlay addressed the controversy on the TV broadcast, and said that he isn't wearing a USA hat this week because "it doesn't fit. End of story."

Cantlay pulled off some heroics in the final four-ball match of the session, winning the 17th and 18th holes for the U.S. to flip their match against Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy and claim a full point. The U.S. enters Sunday singles down 10.5 to 6.5. The largest final-day rally in Ryder Cup history has been 10-6, which has happened twice: a U.S. win at Brookline, Mass., in 1999 and a European win at Medinah, outside Chicago, in 2012.