Jordan Spieth raised concerns about sports betting contributing to increasing unruly fan behaviour at PGA Tour events and Major championships during a June 30 press conference at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois [1, 2, 3].
Spieth pointed to vocally negative crowd behaviour directed at Wyndham Clark during the US Open at Shinnecock Hills on June 21 as an example. Clark faced jeering from fans throughout the weekend, an issue Spieth connected to the rise of legalized sports betting in states like Illinois [1, 2, 3]. He explained, "In golf it's tricky because you could actually impact the outcome if you wanted to. It may not last very long, but you could impact a shot if you wanted to. I don't know of another sport that you could impact as a fan like you can golf" [3].
He noted that betting is often on the field rather than individual players, which may encourage fans to heckle players to influence results [1, 2, 3]. "Most of [unruly fan behaviour] now has to do with betting, and that is in the last five years," Spieth added, emphasizing recent growth in sport-related wagering [3].
Since 2018, sports betting has been legalized in 39 states, with 32 states including Illinois allowing online betting platforms [3]. Spieth acknowledged that unruly crowd behaviour is not a new phenomenon in golf, recalling incidents at major tournaments such as the Bethpage Black Ryder Cup and The Players Championship over the past decade [1, 2, 3]. "I’ve also played rounds with guys who were not treated well 10, 15 years ago. I don’t think it’s a crazy new thing," he said [2].
Spieth himself was previously an ambassador for FanDuel, a sports betting company, lending credibility to his observations [3]. He pointed out that golf’s unique format allows fans to potentially affect a player’s shot, something less applicable in other sports where fan interference is limited [1, 2, 3].
At recent tournaments, fans might bet anywhere from $100 to $10,000, increasing the stakes and potential motivation for disruptive behaviour [1, 2, 3]. The US Open crowd’s negativity toward Clark unfolded near Bethpage Black, a venue previously noted for contentious Ryder Cup fan conduct [3].
Spieth called for addressing betting-related fan conduct soon, stating, "I do think that betting in golf is something that’s going to have to be tackled here soon" [3]. The John Deere Classic gathering marked his latest public remarks on the issue as the PGA Tour and governing bodies consider tighter fan behaviour controls amid growing wagering activity [1, 2, 3].
