U.S. captain Jim Furyk is assured one other HatGate controversy will not escape this week.
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Although the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup are distinctly totally different occasions run by totally different organizations, the U.S. workforce performs in each. Because of this, sure issues carry over from one occasion to the opposite. However U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk is hoping to stop one explicit distraction from the 2023 Ryder Cup from resurfacing this week at Royal Montreal: the HatGate controversy.
To remind you of these “heady” instances, the controversy revolved round American stars Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele not carrying their U.S. workforce hats throughout the competitors in Rome. A Sky Sports activities report indicated that their hatless transfer was in protest of not getting paid sufficient to play the biennial workforce exhibition.
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Cantlay and Schauffele shortly denounced the report, with Cantlay declaring the rationale he didn’t put on a hat was as a result of the workforce hats in Rome didn’t match him, a difficulty that’s cropped up for him earlier than.
“Look, I didn’t put on a hat as a result of the hat didn’t match precisely as I’d have favored,” Cantlay advised GOLF’s Dylan Dethier later within the yr. “I’m very explicit about just about something I placed on. And I simply didn’t really feel snug carrying it; I felt extra snug with out it. There may be simply nothing extra behind it than I simply felt extra snug not carrying one.”
However the controversy moved from the press room to the course when the European followers and gamers began waving their hats to mock the hatless Individuals. The U.S. gamers and caddies adopted go well with, with Cantlay and Schauffele waving imaginary hats on the course throughout their Saturday match collectively. Towards the tip of Saturday’s play in Rome, the incident went into overdrive when Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava waved his hat at European gamers whereas Rory McIlroy was lining up a putt, resulting in shouting matches, press-conference barbs and a near-fight between McIlroy and caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay within the parking zone.
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Making issues worse, the collection of occasions appeared solely to encourage the Europeans, and so they went on to win the Cup 16.5-11.5.
It’s protected to protected any American captain want to keep away from a repeat this yr. Happily for Furyk, Cantlay was seen carrying a hat throughout apply rounds at Royal Montreal.
The sartorial choice raised the eye of 1 reporter, who requested Furyk about it throughout his joint press convention with Worldwide captain Mike Weir on Tuesday.
“We lastly had one which had that odd of a form that it will truly match on there,” Furyk joked, referring to a hat that might match Cantlay’s head.
He then defined that Cantlay wore a hat over the last Presidents Cup in 2022, and so they have the identical vendor offering the hats this yr.
“I believe lots of it’s our distributors,” Furyk stated. “He wore a hat two years in the past in Charlotte. We had the identical distributors on the PGA Tour, and he appears to be snug.”
That stated, Furyk additionally famous he has no drawback if any participant decides to go hatless this week in Montreal.
“If my guys are snug in hats, they will put on hats. In the event that they’re not snug in hats, it doesn’t matter,” he stated.
Then Furyk flashed some self-deprecating humor, taking a shot at his personal uniquely-shaped cranium.
“It doesn’t work out too effectively for me, I’ll simply say. My head will flip purple after a day, however I need them snug,” Furyk joked. “I believe we’d each say that the clothes this yr, my guys find it irresistible.”
The 2024 Presidents Cup kicks off Thursday morning with the primary 5 matches.
