Danny Willett has been forced to apologise after his brother described American golf fans as "fat, stupid, greedy, classless bastards" ahead of this week's Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.
The Masters champion, who is a rookie among the Europe team, assured the media that the thoughts of his brother Peter Willett do not reflect his own or his fellow competitors', nor those of captain Darren Clarke.
Willett's brother - a school teacher - wrote a column for the National Club Golfer urging the Europe team to "shut those groupies up", in reference to the American fans.
He went on to say: "For the Americans to stand a chance of winning, they need their baying mob of imbeciles to caress their egos every step of the way.
"[Europe] need to stun the angry, unwashed, Make America Great Again swarm, desperately gripping their concealed-carry compensators and belting out a mini-erection inducing 'mashed potato,' hoping to impress their cousin.
"They need to smash the obnoxious dads, with their shiny teeth, Lego man hair, medicated ex-wives, and resentful children. Squeezed into their cargo shorts and boating shoes, they'll bellow 'get in the hole' whilst high-fiving all the other members of the Dentists' Big Game Hunt Society."
When Willett was made aware of the column, he told the Golf Channel: "I'd just like to apologise obviously to everyone involved for what's been said. It's obviously not the thoughts of myself and of the team and of captain Darren [Clarke]. I spoke to [Pete] on the phone after I was made aware of what was said and what has been going on.
"And I said to Pete that I was obviously disappointed in what was said and what was written about the American fans that obviously took me under their wing fantastically back in April [at The Masters].
"[USA captain Davis Love III] took it very well and I think he's drawn a line under it for himself and for the team. So hopefully everyone else can do the same and hopefully we can get on and have a great tournament."
Europe are hunting for their fourth consecutive Ryder Cup victory in Minnesota this week.
