Westwood furious about fans' ugly side

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Lee Westwood hit out last night at the abuse he received from the Louisville crowd which ruined his Ryder Cup experience. The Englishman who earlier in the tournament had criticised Boo Weekley's premature celebrations and said the crowd was worse than Brookline in 1999, believed the fans had continued to go too far.

"You expect the crowd to be supportive but I've been abused from start to finish," he complained. "It's the downside of the week for me. I don't think it helps. There is a difference between supporting your side and abusing the opponents."

Westwood did admit however that the better side had won, adding: "They were just too good this week, they holed their putts at the right time. It was good golf, that kind of golf deserves to win."

While Europe were tumbling to defeat, the world No 1 Tiger Woods, a frustrated absentee from this week's Ryder Cup, had been busily sending the US team messages of support.

"The greatest player in the world is sitting at home watching and text messaging me and everybody else he can find," the US captain, Paul Azinger, said after Saturday's fourball matches at Valhalla Golf Club.

"He texted me 10 times yesterday, at least. He likes to heckle. I told him he needed to step up his heckling skills and he brought it today. I didn't know he could take it to such a high level, so I give him credit. He has been great." Woods, who competed in the previous five Ryder Cups, is recuperating at his Florida home after having reconstructive knee surgery in June. He is missing the biennial competition for the first time since his debut in 1997.