Ryder Cup 2016: American heckler wins $100 off Justin Rose

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American heckler sinks 12-foot putt to win bet with Justin Rose

If you've got the nerve to heckle a Ryder Cup player over a missed putt, you'd better be good enough to show him how it's done.

Particularly when there's $100 up for grabs.

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Europe's Justin Rose puts a little incentive down on the green for the confident American fan

Let's let Open champion and European stalwart Henrik Stenson, who was partnering Justin Rose in a practice match, take up the story...

"We played a match against Andy Sullivan and Rory McIlroy and they had a putt and Andy didn't make it, and they tried again to get the right line.

"Someone in the crowd yelled 'I could have made that', so we let him have a go."

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Despite wearing jeans and what looked like slippers, the man was allowed to play his shot, with the reward very much in his eye-line

"Justin Rose put $100 down and the guy drilled it in the centre.

"He would have been chipping if it didn't go in, but all credit to him for making it."

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To the delight of the watching fans, and European golfers, the American celebrated like he'd won the Ryder Cup

Rose added: "I thought [the money] might make it a bit more real for him, but clearly not. The boys were cupping out, missing it low and this guy just ripped it into the middle. Fair play to him and he celebrated in style.

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Rory McIlroy was quick to congratulate the American for making a putt he had struggled to read

"It's fun," laughed Rose. "We are doing what we should be doing out here, having fun. We are preparing, we are focusing, but you have to enjoy it."

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Rose was in bits as the American fan claimed his reward...

So who was the heckler-turned-hero?

It was David Johnson, from North Dakota, who later admitted: "I closed my eyes, hit the putt and it happened to go in."

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...and he was happy to show it off to anyone and everyone at Hazeltine

Ryder Cup 2016

Venue: Hazeltine National, Minnesota Dates: 30 September - 2 October

Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, highlights on BBC Two plus live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. Details

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