Danny Willett tells brother Pete to stay off Twitter during Ryder Cup 2016

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Matt Majendie @mattmajendie30 September 2016

Danny Willett has asked his brother to stay off Twitter until the end of the Ryder Cup after his controversial magazine article caused unwanted headlines on the eve of the Ryder Cup.

Pete Willett, writing in National Club Golfer magazine, described American fans as “a baying mob of imbeciles” and “pudgy, basement-dwelling irritants stuffed on cookie dough and p***y beer”.

He also said his brother and the rest of the European team needed to “smash the obnoxious dads with their shiny teeth, Lego-man hair, medicated ex-wives and resentful children”.

Pete Willett, a teacher, took to social media yesterday to defend the article and retweeted people pointing out the article was a joke.

According to the magazine, the pair spoke last night when it was “agreed it would be for the best if Pete didn’t open Twitter until next week”. Also, plans for him to take over the magazine’s Twitter feed tomorrow have been scrapped.

Willett, one of six rookies on the Europe team, tried to dampen the furore with a public apology on behalf of his brother, who gained noteriety for his live tweets as Danny won the Masters in April.

Willett said: “I apologise. It’s not the thoughts of me or the team.” He added he was “disappointed to be associated” with the article, was “disappointed in what was written” and said it was “a bad article written at a bad time”.

Willett sought out American captain Davis Love III to say sorry and said “he took it very well and drew a line under it”. Love III, meanwhile, said he had no intention of reading the article ahead of the event.

Europe captain Darren Clarke had made Willett aware of the article. He said: “Danny is bitterly disappointed with the article. It is not what Danny thinks, it is not what I think, it is not what Team Europe stand for.”

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