Golf commentator Ewen Murray concerned at prospect of Ryder Cup going ahead without fans

Sky Sports man says playing match without spectators ‘would be close to criminal’ but to play it with them ‘could be much more serious’

A packed gallery looks on as Rory McIlroy tees off during the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty

Sky Sports golf commentator Ewen Murray has added his voice to a chorus of concern about this year’s Ryder Cup going ahead without fans due to the coronavirus crisis.

The biennial match is not due to be played until September at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, where Europe are set to defend the trophy under Padraig Harrington’s captaincy.

But the possibility of it taking place behind closed doors is on the table, with Harrington saying more than once now that it may come down to it “taking one for the world of team sport”.

World No 1 Rory McIlroy has spoken out against that, as has third-ranked Brooks Koepka and also Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari, two of Europe’s stars in the 2018 win in France.

“Sport, without fans, takes so much away from the spectacle, but in these unprecedented times, we are going to have to get used to it, or wait a long time before we can get back to what we had,” said Edinburgh man Murray, writing in his latest blog for skysports.com.

“I watched the Bundesliga match on Saturday, a normally vociferous derby between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke, and it was tough viewing. The thud of the ball, the echoing sounds from the bench, and some good goals greeted by near silence.

“It got me thinking of the Ryder Cup in September. We all want to see the match get underway at Whistling Straits; the television companies, golf fans the world over, the players, the captains etc. It’s a while away yet and things may change for the better. Should it be played without spectators, I think come the closing ceremony, many of us would be thinking: “I wish we hadn’t done that.” I would be saddened if that were the case. The Ryder Cup’s oxygen comes from the atmosphere the fans create and the players respond to that.

“The venue is well out in the sticks, the nearest city is over 60 miles away. Fans would visit the course via park and ride, queues for buses either end, cramped on those buses to and from. An incubator, I’m afraid for this virus we have to deal with and see off.

“We’ll note what happens in the weeks ahead, but to play the Ryder Cup without fans would be close to criminal. To play it with them could be much more serious. I reiterate though, that date is a long way off, so fingers crossed.”

Live golf returned to Sky Sports on Sunday with a charity skins match in Florida involving McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff.

The players carried their own bags and followed social distancing guidelines, which will also be in place when the PGA Tour restarts in three weeks’ time with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas.

“Many of you would have enjoyed the relaxed round on Sunday evening,” said Murray of the TaylorMade Driving Relief event, which raised money for the American Nurses Foundation and the CDC Foundation.

“Top professionals carrying their clubs, working out the yardages, wiping the clubs clean after their shots, reading their own putts and playing in shorts, which surely will be allowed on tournament days in the near future.

“I also think pace of play will again be addressed at the various tours throughout the world, so a lot of good came from Seminole. The first move forward towards some sort of normality has happened.”

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