Sabbatini Has Mouthy Fan Tossed Off Course

by Mulligan Stu on Aug 5, 2007 5:19 PM EDT

Hmm, looks like Rory Sabbatini believes in his own right to mouth off, but can't handle it when a fan mouths off to him.

From the AP's Bridgestone Invitational notebook:

... after Sabbatini made a double bogey and was walking away from the ninth green, retired firefighter and paramedic Steve Banky casually said to him, "Hey, Rory. Still think Tiger's beatable?"

Sabbatini wheeled and pointed to Banky, telling a police officer that he wanted Banky removed from the course. He was escorted to the course's front entrance by two officers.

"We're out here to do our job -- let us do our job," Sabbatini said later. "Have a little bit of decorum, a little bit of class out there. I guess a few too many beers were talking."

Talk about needing a little decorum and class ...

This expulsion seems very questionable to me. The fan didn't yell during Sabbatini's backswing, didn't say anything vulgar, didn't use profanity, didn't yell at Rory, didn't try to talk to him during play of the hole.

Banky was stunned that he had been tossed from the course after paying $55 for his ticket.

"I figured he was talking a better game than he was playing," said Banky, who was making his first trip to the tournament in 15 years. "I wasn't trying to dog him. At the press conference he had, he said Tiger was beatable. I just called him on it."

What do you think? Did the fan deserve to be tossed?

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Tough call

Because it really depends on what the specific Tour rules are. Apparently, any player can have a person thrown out. But for what reason? Can someone be thrown out for any reason whatsoever? He looks at a player cross-eyed, the player can throw him out? Can the fan be tossed for any comment deemed by the player to be derogatory, or just negative?

And maybe more importantly, are fans told they can be ejected for making negative comments to players?

by bogeymcduff on Aug 5, 2007 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

No way he deserved to be tossed...

...but that is kind of a lame thing to say to someone immediately after they've double-bogeyed. Even Sabbatini.

And I say this as someone who loved watching Tiger pour it on Rory today. I've disliked Sabbatini ever since the Ben Crane incident several years ago.

Hopefully Tiger sends Mr. Banky an autographed glove this week.

by turnover on Aug 5, 2007 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

Did Sabbatini have to use the F bomb?

Sabbatini screamed "Get this f*** out of here!!!" at the cops. Did he really need to drop the F bomb in front of women and children? I think maybe Rory is the one that lacks class. I thought he showed a lack of class in the Ben Crane incident and this as well.

by lagwagon12 on Aug 7, 2007 8:03 AM EDT reply actions