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Ryder Cup crowd boos US team

21/09/2006

US Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman has been forced to apologise after his team upset fans at the Kay Club.

The American players took part in a rather lacklustre practice round yesterday, deciding not to play off some of the tees and rarely putting out.

During a nine-hole session, which had been delayed by two hours because of bad weather, the US team practised their approach shots and spent time trying to skim balls across the water on the seventh.

Fans, who had waited in blustery conditions and paid €35 to watch the practice round, were unimpressed, with some accusing the Americans of lacking respect.

"It was a mistake," Lehman admitted afterwards.

The 2006 Ryder Cup gets underway tomorrow with the four-balls, where the US team famously collapsed two years ago.

Lehman said yesterday that Tiger Woods, his star player, would play in the opening tie alongside Jim Furyk.

Europe's captain Ian Woosnam will reveal his opening pairings later today.

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