There were a couple of moments that made noise following Team USA’s brutal defeat at Gleneagles in 2014. Phil Mickelson‘s sharp criticism of captain Tom Watson, for one thing. But what stood out the most was perhaps the former PGA of America president, Ted Bishop’s, “insensitive gender-based comments” following Ian Poulter‘s sharp take on both Watson and 2008 Team USA captain, Nick Faldo.

To defend Watson and Faldo, Bishop first tweeted, “Faldo’s record stands by itself. Six majors and all-time RC points. Yours vs. His? Lil Girl.” And if that wasn’t enough, he took it to Facebook to write another lengthy message to Poulter and ended with, “Sounds like a little schoolgirl squealing during recess. C’MON MAN!” Bishop was fired in less than three months of his voluntary tenure at the organization. The result of such remarks was not pretty.

A day after Bishop made his remarks, the PGA of America fired him. He still thinks about it. In a recent interview on the 19th Hole with Michael Williams, Bishop opened up about his mistake.

“The biggest mistake that I made, besides a poor selection of words, and… I’ve owned my mistake repeatedly over the last ten years. The other mistake that I made was that I picked a fight with a guy [Poulter] who had over five million followers on Twitter.”

Bishop has talked about the subject in the past. In 2024, in an exclusive with Sports Illustrated, he said, “Trust me, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about it,” and “it’s the biggest regret of my life.”

These comments now came as a reflection on another (recent) controversial case of the current PGA of America president. Don Rea, when faced with the question of unruly fan behavior at Bethpage, dismissed the abuse that European pros received. It did not sit well with anyone. For instance, Matt Fitzpatrick slammed his statements.

That’s why Bishop says now, “I would have been a really good example for all PGA officials… that you have to be very careful about the choice of your words.”

Rea would’ve probably loved this advice before he made those comments. Now, however, he is facing several demands for his resignation. Whether that happens or not, that’s another story. But Bishop is right. His story does serve as a pretty good lesson.

But let bygones be bygones, because whether you cite the barrage of backlash or the influence of stories like that of Bishop, Rea apologized for his statements.

Don Rea: The PGA of America president’s apology and his weird night out

PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. issued a belated apology last week to the organization’s 30,000-plus members after facing backlash for downplaying the intense verbal abuse at the Ryder Cup. Rea had likened the profanity-laced heckling to a “youth soccer game,” sparking intense backlash from players and fans alike.

But, of course, that did not come without a few more issues along the way. According to The Times, instead of addressing the growing storm, Rea was belting out Eminem‘s “Lose Yourself.” This made the apology more urgent. So, last week, in an email addressed to the PGA of America members, he said, “While the competition was spirited—especially with the U.S. team’s rally on Sunday afternoon—some fan behavior clearly crossed the line.”

“Our CEO, Derek Sprague, has apologized on our behalf to Erica and Rory McIlroy and to everyone with Ryder Cup Europe. I would also like to personally apologize to them and all of you for not representing our association in the best light with some of my comments in the media during the event.”

Interestingly, although Rea became the president only last year, he has been a PGA member since 2001. Perhaps that is why, during the backlash, the center of attention wasn’t just Rea but also the PGA of America itself. Hopefully, now not only Bishop’s but also Rea’s story will serve as a hot reminder.