Really? Is that all it takes to become an internet sensation? Is this all I would have to do to go from a relative nobody to getting a story on ESPN? I’ve flipped the bird to many people on many occasions, so why not me? Oooohhh…I have to do it on a golf course, during a tournament, I guess. D.H. Lee must have just beaten me to the punch.
So it finally happened in golf. A pro finally had enough of a heckler in the gallery and sent a message. And I’m not talking one of those flipping out about a camera click messages. I’m talking the “We’re #1!” message. The old one-gun salute. We’ve seen it in other sports – remember Jack McDowell? We’ve even seen baseball and basketball players run up into the crowd to go after fans (Ron Artest and Chad Kreuter come to mind). But this is new to golf. If a camera doesn’t click or someone doesn’t whisper during a swing, then there is almost no interaction with the gallery, either positively or negatively, whatsoever. So what is the PGA to do with this? Do they suspend him? Do they fine him? You know the PGA can’t have any of their players disrespecting their fans like that. Or…can they?
I can’t be the only one who thinks golf could use a bad boy, right? And I don’t mean a bad boy off-the-course such as a Tiger Woods or John Daly. I mean an on-the-course bad guy that you want to hate, but at the same time you kind of root for because he’s different than every other boring face in the crowd. Now I also don’t mean the PGA should encourage this kind of behavior, because it can get old fast, especially if too many players are getting in on it. But if they take a guy like Lee, maybe pull him to the side and tell him something to the effect of:
“Pssst…hey, D.H. That little act you pulled last weekend sure brought us a little more attention than usual. I’m not telling you to do it again. But…I’m also not telling you not to do it again either. Maybe not the finger next time, but a little something else, ya know? I promise we’ll make it worth your while.”
Want to get people to tune into an event that normally doesn’t quite get the ratings? Want to make people interested in the highlights from a smaller tournament that normally just kind of slips under the radar? D.H. Lee could be your guy!
Swing ’til you’re happy!
I think it would be great if golf had someone who got booed every time he walked down the fairway. Maybe he could even taunt the crowd.
Btw, DH Lee finished third in this tournament. So maybe he is the perfect guy to be a bad boy, since Rory Sabbatini only pisses people off and doesn’t play all that well anymore.
That’s what I’m talking about, water! We’re on the same page here. Now, all he (or whoever it is) would have to do is be comfortable with facing the boo-birds on a regular basis…like the bad guy in wrestling. Once he gets over that hump, a star is born!
Two golfers get “the boo’…” at our home when their names are mentioned; Vijay Singh and Rory Sabbatini. I’m not prepared yet to put D.H. Lee in that same exalted-company.
And it’s so-heartbreaking how hard Sergio tries and crashes over-and-over, so he gets a little “yay!…” when mentioned. He’s been so-close at the British Open, …err the Open Championship…that I still hope he maybe wins this-time.
Hey Rhino, I wanted so bad to get Sergio in this conversation, but I just wasn’t sure that his “bad boy” act just wouldn’t be taken seriously at this point. Well, either that, or people will just think he’s more of a nuisance than a bad boy.