Lovers of golf have slammed Zach Johnson for ignoring the spirit of the game at the Ryder Cup and launching into a chinwag while one of his OWN stars was on the tee.

Punters have united to slam the Team USA skipper for speaking with his deputy Fred Couples while Patrick Cantlay was teeing off at the 13th. The USA star and partner Xander Schauffele represented the best hope of any sort of points on a sobering morning for the visitors after Europe romped to wins in their first three pairings.

And Johnson – amid the dominance from the boys in blue – has been lampooned over his selections for the morning foursomes and was even snapped crouching under the grandstand as he appeared to be texting on his phone. But any inspiration from outside of the Eternal City will be gladly received with Johnson in need of some early inspiration with the likes of John Rahm and Viktor Hovland in inspired form for the hosts amid a race to a 3-0 lead and Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood aiming to follow.

The captain is feeling the heat for keeping A-listers Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas in reserve. Dan Rapoport stated on social media Fleetwood's caddie asked Johnson to budge over on one tee box. And his chat with Couples had other social media users branding it 'odd behaviour'.

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