Zach Johnson was involved in a heated exchange with a reporter at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, after confronting a heckler during his final round.
Johnson finished his week in Phoenix with a level-par 71 in Sunday's final round but it was not without drama. The American star was seen hitting back at a member of the gallery, shouting: "Don't 'sir' me, somebody said it, I'm just sick of it! Shut up!"
It was reported that the heckler in question brought up Johnson's failures from last Autumn's Ryder Cup, as the 48-year-old captained the United States to a disappointing defeat to their European rivals.
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It capped off a week of chaos at the WM Phoenix Open, with fans taking the event's notorious party atmosphere to the next level. Fans were seen throwing themselves down mud slides, and causing chaos on the famous par-three 16th, with one even entering the playing area and jumping into a bunker.
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In the aftermath Johnson was questioned on his confrontation with the crowd, and the wider chaotic atmosphere, and things quickly heated up. Asked if he felt fans had 'crossed the line', the Ryder Cup captain responded: "If it crossed the line this week? What's the line? I'm asking you a question.
The reporter then asked if he felt the scenes were 'inappropriate', to which Johnson hit back: "This tournament has been inappropriate and crossed the line since I have been on tour and this is my 21st year." Quizzed on what kept him coming back to Phoenix, he then added: "Bottom line is I don't have to play if I don't want to but I keep coming back.
"I don't dislike the golf course. I like the greens. I try to avoid playing on the West Coast, and these are overseeded Bermuda [greens] so that's usually how I base my schedule. Usually it is bouncy so I can even get loft to my hands, but it was wet this week."
The exchange continued as Johnson was asked whether he felt fans should 'rein in' their antics. Midway through the answer the PGA Tour star was then quick to quiz the reporter which outlet he worked for, before once again unloading on the unsavoury scenes that played out.
"At some point --- I don't know what the line is," he added. "But you have people falling out of the rafters, you have fights in the stands. It's to the point where now, how do you reel it in? Because it's taken on a life of its own. I think the Thunderbirds probably need to do something about it.
The WM Phoenix Open descended into chaos (Getty Images)"I'm assuming they're ashamed. Because at some point, somebody's either going to really, really get hurt or worse. You've got a woman falling down 20 feet." Emotions continued to boil over, as Johnson admitted he was 'done' with the fallout. I don't have any idea of it I'm going to come back or not," he went on.
"That's a team decision, wife decision. You're hitting me at a very emotional time right now so if I were to say if I'm going to come back, I'd probably say no. But at the same time, I have no idea." Pressed on his emotions, he finished by commenting: "Because I just played 54 holes in two days and I'm beat, and extremely --- I'm done. I'm done with it... I'm done with everything."
Johnson was not the only player who hit back at the raucous crowd, with Billy Horschel also involved in an exchange. Horschel slammed one fan in Phoenix for talking during of his playing partner Nicolo Galletti. “Buddy, when he’s over a shot shut the hell up man,” he shouted. “He’s trying to hit a damn golf shot here – it’s our f****** job.”
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