Sept. 29, 2016: David Johnson reacts after making a putt on the 6th hole during a practice round ahead of the Ryder Cup matches at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. (Twitter/Rory McIlroy)
Sign him up!
An American heckler was challenged to put his putter where his mouth was after saying he could putt better than golf star Rory McIlroy and his Team Europe mates during a Ryder Cup practice round Thursday.
McIlroy and teammate Andy Sullivan were struggling with a tricky downhill putt on the 8th green at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Meanwhile, Sweden's Henrik Stenson was having his ears singed by the boisterous fan over his silver medal at last month's Rio Olympics.
Before the players left the hole, Team Europe challenged the American to give it a go, with England's Justin Rose sweetening the pot by dropping a $100 bill on the green. The heckler, who Fox9 identified as David Johnson of North Dakota, gladly stepped onto the green, hushed the crowd ... and nailed the 12-footer.
Has the @rydercup started already??🇪🇺🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/s6EImcbnZv
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) September 29, 2016
"I razzed them a little bit, and they heard me, which was insane," Johnson told reporters later, according to Golf.com. "They brought me out, which is more insane ... I closed my eyes, swallowed my puke, and hit the putt. It happened to go in."
The Americans could use a good omen, having lost five of the last six playings of the biennial Ryder Cup matches. The U.S. last took home the trophy in 2008.
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