Sir, - The US golfers may have won the Ryder Cup, but in doing so they have brought the game of golf down to the depths of disrepute. They won by cheating, discrimination and a flagrant disregard for both the spirit and the etiquette of this great sport. Sunday's performance was sickening: Tiger Woods sticking his clenched fist into the face of his opponent; David Duval coming out from under his stone to join in the baiting, putting his cupped hand to his ear, demanding applause; Tom Lehman, of all people, stomping on the putting green, with poor Olazabal having to await the cessation of all these mad antics before he attempted what was now an impossible putt. Worst of all was Hal Sutton, who does not physically resemble Hitler, but reminded me of that terrible monster. To see him lifting his arms, inciting the crowds to cheer and jeer was reminiscent of those Nazi rallies before the second World War.
From now on there will have to be yellow cards and red cards and disqualifications, because if something drastic is not done to prevent this hooliganism, the Ryder Cup in 2001 will be a farce, with empty beer cans being thrown at the players while they are executing their strokes. Where does it stop? - Yours, etc.,
Frank Burke, Carysfort Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin.