Ryder Cup lake plunge fan says 'sun got to me'
- Published
John Burleigh meeting Scotland's Ryder Cup star Robert MacIntyre
The Scottish golf fan who became a Ryder Cup sensation after jumping into a lake to celebrate Europe's win has put the moment down to the heat and high spirits.
Footage of John Burleigh went viral after he took the plunge at the 16th hole at the Marco Simone club in Rome.
He was later dubbed "Colonel Sanders" by fans thanks to his resemblance to the late KFC founder.
The 70-year-old said he tried diving for golf balls while in the lake.
John, from Greenock, Inverclyde, was watching the final day's play from the edge of the 16th green.
And he was there when England's Tommy Fleetwood guaranteed the half point needed to bring the cup back to Europe.
It was then that everything kicked off.
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John told BBC Scotland News: "The sun got to me and I was lost to delirium. The weather had been too hot but the banter and company had been fantastic.
"I had predicted it was going to finish at the 16th. The American conceded right in front of me and I just took off.
"I hadn't planned it but I had said to a golf friend in Largs that it was so exciting that I could jump in the lake.
"And when we won it was so inviting I just shot off."
John's appearance was likened to KFC's Colonel Sanders
John said the lake felt "lovely" after days of spectating in sweltering temperatures.
He lost his sunglasses in the dip and was disappointed not to come out of the water with some souvenirs of his swim.
John joked: "When I put my head in the lake I was looking for golf balls.
"I was hoping to come out with some but I didn't see any."
And while the European fans celebrated the win, he was having to deal with the consequences of his moment of madness.
His wife Heather was arriving at 18:00 at the airport and he was meant to pick her up on a scooter but the local police wanted to have a chat first.
John left the course in his wet clothes to pick up his wife Heather at the airport
John said: "I didn't get into trouble but a policeman came up and wanted a word with me. They checked my ID and I apologised and said the sun had got to me.
"I showed him my driver's licence but while we were doing this people were coming up and getting selfies with me. And more and more people started jumping in the lake after me."
When John eventually arrived at the airport, still in his soaking clothes, he began to realise that his stunt had made a splash on social media.
"People who were heading home were coming up and showing me the footage and saying I was a legend.
"It was good fun and it was all done in the best possible taste," he said.
Earlier in the week he posed for a selfie with Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who won 2.5 points for Europe on his debut in the biennial contest.
John and Heather are now on holiday in Italy for the rest of the week and he is enjoying his new found fame.
He is even taking to his new Colonel Sanders nickname.
John added: "It could have been worse. Someone called me an 'old guy' but I took that on the chin.
"So long as KFC call me up with an offer, I'll be quite happy."
- Attribution
- Published1 October 2023
- Attribution
- Published1 October 2023
- Attribution
- Published1 October 2023
