Americans still seeking forgiveness for Ryder Cup behaviour

America's Ryder Cup players continued to seek forgiveness from the European team on Wednesday for their behaviour on the final day of matches in the United States last month.

As European captain Mark James suggested penalising crowd incitement at Ryder Cups with the immediate loss of a hole, Tom Lehman said his fellow American players behaved like "little kids" at the climax of the event in Brookline.

Lehman, seen as perpetrator of his team's charge across the 17th green after Justin Leonard holed a huge key putt against Jose Maria Olazabal, said on Thursday he had written to European team members following the U.S. victory by 14-1/2 points to 13-1/2.

Lehman, who is playing with Ryder Cup team mates Mark O'Meara and Payne Stewart in this week's Alfred Dunhill Cup team competition, said he had written to James, assistant captain Sam Torrance - one of his main critics - and Olazabal apologising for the American actions.

"What happened on the 17th green was unfortunate. We apologised then and there. I've since sent letters to people I want to deal with directly.

"We shouldn't have been on the green creating a commotion. We were all little kids that day, even old guys like Hal Sutton and me," said 40-year-old Lehman.

The American charge over the 17th green came with Olazabal still to putt, which he subsequently missed.

James, calling for the loss-of-hole penalty against players who incite crowds, said: "We expected a bit of rowdiness but we never expected such rude abuse."

He was referring to the fact that his wife Jane was spat upon from the crowd, and at insults directed at European players, particularly Colin Montgomerie.

He said he and his players "couldn't believe the sight of players inciting the crowds and getting them to display such vitriol".

"If I had my way, there would be a loss-of-hole penalty at the Ryder Cup decided by the match referee (for players trying to incite the crowd). The sight of a player walking a few yards behind the other one with fists pumping to work up a crowd -- that shouldn't be part of the game.

"You can't pretend nothing has happened," James said when told of Lehman's comments. "Golf definitely has a problem and we need to sort it out."

Lehman said it was time "for the focus to be more on how great the golf was and less on what else happened".

"The European team played great and I think we need to realise that and applaud them for that. Our team just played a little better," he said.

Lehman confessed to being aware his own reputation had taken a beating at Brookline but hoped there would be no crowd backlash at St Andrews.

"It is of concern to me that my reputation has been somewhat damaged. But I feel a few remarks made about me were made unfairly," he said.

"I never walked on anybody's line. I'm not a monster, I'm not a rogue, I'm not a hooligan. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not like that."

Stewart said: "If we can't walk away as friends at the end of Sunday, then we're missing the whole idea of what the Ryder Cup was founded on."

The U.S. Open champion said he felt the crowd problems probably came from no more than 80 to 100 of the 30,000 crowd each day and suggested that past Ryder captains be engaged as walking marshals to help cool down over-excited spectators.