Ryder Cup: Gallacher pours cold water on Woods’ Walker Cup boos claim

By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Published on 28/09/2012 02:19

STEPHEN Gallacher has rubbished claims by Tiger Woods that the American was met with a chorus of boos when he made his Walker Cup debut in Wales in 1995.

Recalling his appearance at Royal Porthcawl on the eve of his seventh Ryder Cup campaign, the former world No 1 said: “I was introduced and just got a huge ovation of boos. I’m like ‘Oh, ok, welcome to the Walker Cup’.”

However, Gallacher, who played with compatriot Gordon Sherry against Woods and John Harris that day, insisted he had no recollection of Woods receiving such treatment, which is certainly not the norm in the amateur equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

“I have absolutely no memories of anybody booing – no chance,” said the Bathgate man.

“I was standing alongside him and it’s the sort of thing that would stick in your mind.

“I would be very, very, very surprised if anybody did anything like that. I honestly can’t see it happening at an amateur event.”

Woods, in fact, didn’t even hit the opening shot for the Americans. That honour went to his partner, Harris, with Sherry hitting first for Great Britain & Ireland.

The American duo went on to record a 4 and 3 victory, but it finished 14-10 to GB&I.

Woods lost his opening singles match to Gary Wolstenholme, going down by one hole to the Englishman after straying out of bounds at the last, before gaining revenge on the same opponent on the second day.

In the same interview, Woods also spoke of the reception on his Ryder Cup debut at Valderrama in 1997. “I got to Spain for the Ryder Cup and it was even more so,” he said of the boos there.

While that may have been the case, it will shock anyone who has ever attended a Walker Cup to hear a player claiming they had been the subject of such a welcome at an event renowned for its sporting integrity.