Danny Willett: Comments to family 'put downer' on Ryder Cup debut

Willett failed to win a point in Europe's 17-11 loss at Hazeltine

Danny Willett says his parents and wife received abuse from fans during Europe's Ryder Cup defeat by the United States at Hazeltine last week.

Willett, 29, apologised before the tournament for an article his brother Peter wrote about the American crowds.

During the event players called for rowdy fans to be ejected, with Willett then saying his brother had been right.

"I don't think that's our sport, that's not what we play for, that's not what we do," he told Sky Sports.

Willett, who failed to win a point on his Ryder Cup debut, said the abuse came from a "massively tiny proportion" of the huge crowds in Minnesota.

"You've got 150-200,000 fans there that love watching golf," added the Masters champion. "Unfortunately, you've got the odd one or two that don't actually go there to watch the golf, which is a shame.

"I don't think you should be walking around playing golf while people are saying things to your parents and saying things to your wife.

"Unfortunately that happened and unfortunately it put a little bit of a downer on what was supposed to be my first really good experience of the Ryder Cup."

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