Controversial PGA of America president is ousted after chaotic Ryder Cup

Don Rea at last year's PGA Championship. Getty Images Don Rea, embroiled in controversy following events at last year’s Ryder Cup, has been replaced as president of the PGA of America. In a statement late Friday afternoon, the governing body said that the move “followed a series of issues over time that, taken together, were determined to be detrimental to the Association.

” The PGA said Nathan Charnes would be moved from vice president to acting president until November, when Rea’s two-year term was to have ended. Rea had caught heat at last September’s Ryder Cup, which was run by the PGA of America, over a series of actions, including: – His comments to the BBC on the Sunday of the event. A day earlier, spectators at Bethpage Black on Long Island had turned unruly turned toward the European team, and Rea, after being asked about that, started his answer this way: “Well, you got 50,000 people here that are really excited, and, heck, you can go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things.

We tell the fans booing at somebody doesn’t make them play worse. Typically it makes them play better. And when our American players have to control the crowds, that distracts from playing.

” Rea was then asked specifically about fan comments toward Rory McIlroy, who was playing for Europe. “I haven’t heard some of that,” he said. “I’m sure it’s happened.