Written by Marissa Payne at Washington Post.com
America found a new hero on Thursday in Ryder Cup spectator David Johnson. The North Dakota man successfully called the bluffs of Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose, who during a practice session invited the heckling Johnson to make a difficult putt that their Team Europe teammate Rory McIlroy had just missed minutes before. Can you guess what happened?
Fan chirping Team Europe at Ryder Cup practice, is asked to put money where his big mouth is, for $100. Amazing. pic.twitter.com/mzlDzu2ASR
— Faizal Khamisa (@SNFaizalKhamisa) September 29, 2016
Dressed in a bright red pullover, faded blue jeans and a pair of golf-questionable loafers, Johnson easily sunk the shot to earn the $100 bill that Rose had slapped down on the green just before the American lined up.
What pressure!!!? 😳😳🇪🇺🇺🇸 @RyderCupEurope #TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/GaUv5HIwQw
— Andy Sullivan (@andysulligolf) September 29, 2016
“This is one of the great putts in Ryder Cup history,” a Golf Channel broadcaster said, just before the crowd at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., erupted into a roar possibly louder than the one Stenson earned when he won the British Open this year, or by Rose when he won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics. The two Europeans certainly didn’t earn the rousing “USA!” chants that Johnson did on Thursday.
Rose, Stenson and the rest of Team Europe, including Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan, who lent Johnson his putter, weren’t mad, however. They hugged and high-fived Johnson after he made the 12-foot putt.
Not bad for a member of the “baying mob of imbeciles,” as Pete Willett, the brother of Masters champion Danny Willett, called to the American fan base on Wednesday.
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