Woods: Ryder Cup booze fears

Tiger Woods today claimed that golf fans fuelled by an excess of alcohol could spoil the Ryder Cup at The Belfry.

Following the controversies that marred the United States' victory over Europe at Brookline two years ago, tension is already mounting over the staging of the 34th Cup match, even though it is still four months away.

Now Woods has highlighted one of the major fears: that easy access to drink could encourage supporters to lose their inhibitions and behave in a manner out of keeping with the traditions of golf's most important team tournament.

The world's top-ranked player has appeared in two Ryder Cup matches and he is firmly of the belief that alcohol is to blame for the abuse that is increasingly being directed at players.

Woods, speaking at the St Leon-Rot Golf Club here where he will contest the £1.7 million Tournament Players Championship of Europe, insisted: "One of the problems we have is the consumption of the beverage of your choice.

"It is great to have patriotism, it is great to have bi-partisanship. But when you have people consuming, it can lead to them becoming boisterous and then saying things that are just not appropriate at all." Woods said his point was proved by comparing the standards of behaviour of the Ryder Cup galleries watching the morning ties with those attending the afternoon matches that follow a lunch break when drink is readily available at retail outlets and in corporate hospitality suites.

"The mornings are so much more subdued than the afternoon matches," he said. "Anyone who has been to a Ryder Cup can relate to that."

Woods, contesting only his second tournament here since claiming the Masters victory in April that gave him a full hand of all four majors, said he would like to see a ban on booze at The Belfry.

But he admitted: "Obviously that is not going to happen."

Instead, he is backing attempts by Curtis Strange and Sam Torrance, respectively captains of the United States and European teams, to restore a spirit of goodwill to the Cup following the outrages of Brookline where former European No 1 Colin Montgomerie was a particular target of gallery yobs.

Woods said: "We'll start out with the correct intent, and hopefully everyone will act accordingly."