05 October 2023 , 17:14
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United States Ryder Cup star Max Homa has claimed the reports surrounding an alleged 'split' within the locker room led by Patrick Cantlay were "wrong and dumb."
Team USA lost the Ryder Cup to their European rivals in Rome last weekend, and amid their struggles on the course, there appeared to be issues off it too. This comes after Sky Sports claimed Cantlay had left the U.S. camp 'fractured,' due to players not being paid.
It was reported that in protest of his lack of payment to represent his nation, Cantlay refused to wear a cap, and was also sat separate from his teammates in the locker room alongside close friend Xander Schauffele.
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A spokesperson for Team USA told Mirror Sport that the alleged report regarding the rift was "untrue," and this has since been backed up by Cantlay himself and captain Zach Johnson. The latest U.S. star to address the rumours is Homa, and he too rubbished the claims.
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Speaking to the No Laying Up Podcast, he said: "I guess for the first time I was on the inside of one of these types of stories where it just was weird because I just I can’t tell you how wrong so much of what I was reading again on the Internet, just how wrong and dumb it was.”
Max Homa competed in his first Ryder Cup“I will agree with you that that would be distracting if that ever f****** happened. But it didn’t. Like zero times did we talk about that. Literally zero. Pat was not protesting by not wearing a hat and we talked about getting paid zero whole times.”
The report regarding Cantlay's so-called 'hat protest' broke on Saturday, whilst the American star was out competing. Throughout his round, the American was taunted by the home crowd, who proceeded to take off their caps and wave them in the direction of the former FedEx Cup champion as he made his way around the course.
The Americans were quick to respond though after Cantlay rolled in a superb putt at the 18th hole to defeat Rory McIlory and Matt Fitzpatrick alongside Wyndham Clark. After rolling in his birdie, the whole U.S. team surrounding the green ironically celebrated with their caps in the air, including his caddie Joe LaCava who left McIlroy angered after approaching the Northern Irishman whilst he lined up a birdie attempt of his own.