Jon Rahm was greeted with cries of ‘where’s the Ozempic?’ as he limbered up to take his first tee shot at Bethpage Black.
The Spaniard is part of a Europe team including Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick and captain Luke Donald bidding to become only the fifth side in history to win the Ryder Cup on American soil this weekend.
As is custom across the pond, the Europeans are far from expected to be given a heroes’ welcome in New York city when the tournament gets underway on Friday – something Jon Rahm has already found out.
While preparing to take his first tee shot at the famous golf course in a practice round on Tuesday, one of the first shouts hurled at the current world no 73 from the American crowd was: ‘Hey Rahmbo, where’s the Ozempic?’
Europeans have regularly had to contend with abuse when travelling to America for the Ryder Cup. Four years ago at Whistling Straits, Shane Lowry revealed that even his wife ‘got dog’s abuse’ from the rival support.
Dame Laura Davies has warned that’s not likely to change this time around, telling Metro: ‘At Whistling Straits, it certainly went over the top. There was a lot of abuse to some of the friends and family of the players, which was not good, because they were their only support system, given there were no European fans at Whistling Straits due to Covid.
‘I heard a lot of horrible abuse that was said to players, and that was in the middle of nowhere, Whistling Straits. Now we’re in New York, with the New York crowd. I hope it doesn’t go over the top, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s that bad again, maybe even worse.
‘If the Europeans can get on top, they might quiet the crowds brief, but I’m not saying that’s necessarily going to happen. Maybe it’ll just make them even more vociferous.’
Europe’s stars including Rahm however put a difficult practice round behind them as they stepped out with their wives for the official Ryder Cup Welcome Dinner yesterday evening.
Hosted at Hempstead House in Sands Point, New York, the elegant event saw both teams enjoy a formal evening just days before teeing off.
Rahm arrived along with his wife Kelley Rahm, who looked stunning in a bronze gown with crystal detailing.
The pair smiled for photographers as they made their way into the event, part of a united Team Europe contingent under Luke Donald.
Rory McIlroy was meanwhile also among the first to arrive, wearing a classic black suit and tie, while his wife Erica Stoll opted for a sleek black dress on the night.
The European WAGs gathered for a group selfie outside the mansion, sharing a moment of laughter as they captured the evening.
Rahm, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland also stood together for a formal team photo, suited up and smiling.
The welcome dinner is a long-standing Ryder Cup tradition, offering a chance for both sides to unwind and build camaraderie before the competition begins.
The 2025 Ryder Cup officially begins on Friday, September 26 at Bethpage Black in Long Island – one of the most demanding courses on the PGA Tour.
