Brooklyn Beckham endured a difficult day at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup celebrity match, where his game drew sharp reactions from fans and his Team Europe side suffered a heavy defeat.
The 26-year-old, eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, was partnered with former NBA great Toni Kukoč for the 11-hole contest against Team USA’s Eli Manning and comedian Colin Jost.
The match quickly turned into a test of resilience for Beckham as he struggled to keep the ball in play.
Several shots flew out of bounds, others became trapped in bunkers, and at one point he was forced to return to the tee after losing a ball and running out of the three-minute search time.
Spectators at the New York course did not hold back with their verdicts.
One onlooker was heard saying Beckham was “hitting trees” and “couldn’t get out of bunkers,” while another joked with Kukoč that Beckham was “making him look small.”
Reports also suggested that some in the crowd did not recognise him at all, referring to him simply as “David Beckham’s son.”
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Brooklyn Beckham endured a difficult day at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup celebrity match, where his game drew sharp reactions from fans and his Team Europe side suffered a heavy defeat
|REUTERS
An insider at the event told the Daily Mail that Beckham appeared downcast throughout the round and avoided much interaction with the galleries, who were enthusiastically backing Manning and Jost.
“He had his head down whenever he walked by fans,” the source said.
“It was clear he had very few supporters in the crowd.”
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Brooklyn Beckham was mocked by spectators while competing at the Ryder Cup celebrity event
|REUTERS
Team Europe eventually lost 7.5 to 3.5, but Beckham said afterwards that he still enjoyed the experience despite the hostile reception.
“I feel like they did not like me at all but it was amazing,” he said.
“They gave me a bit of stick but I expected that. Being in New York, playing against Eli, they were just laughing.
“I was having fun out there and did the best I could. It was honestly just really fun.”
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Beckham revealed that the event had been “nerve-racking,” admitting he has only recently taken up golf and had just a week of practice before the celebrity match.
He was also keen to address the negativity, saying: “There will always be people saying negative things but I have a very supportive wife. We just focus on what we are doing and we are happy.”
The event at Bethpage Black is part of the build-up to this week’s Ryder Cup, which will see Europe attempt to defend the trophy they won so convincingly in Rome two years ago.
For Beckham, the appearance was a rare chance to mix his growing interest in golf with one of the sport’s biggest occasions, although the reception he received made clear that the New York crowd was firmly behind the American team.