Azinger Responds To Criticism: "I Didn't Mean To Disrespect Anyone"

The American's remarks towards the European Tour at the Honda Classic didn't go down well

Azinger Responds To Criticism: "I Didn't Mean To Disrespect Anyone"

Paul Azinger has responded after comments he made whilst on air at the Honda Classic prompted criticism from the golfing world.

The 1993 USPGA Champion, who works as an analyst for NBC Sports, referred to the European Tour as "that European Tour," and then seemed to downplay Lee Westwood's 44 worldwide victories due to just two of them being on the PGA Tour.

"These guys know, you can win all you want on the European Tour, the international game and all that, but you have to win on the PGA Tour," Azinger said whilst Tommy Fleetwood was attempting to win in America for the first time.

“Westwood took offence to that actually yesterday when asked about that,” he said.

“Two wins on the PGA Tour but he’s like ‘oh I’ve won 44 times all over the world’ but it’s not the PGA Tour though."

Lee Westwood called Azinger's comments "condescending."

"One minute Paul walks down the range wishing you good luck before you play the next he’s condescending to the tour you play on and disrespects the tournaments you’ve won around the world," Westwood wrote on Twitter.

"I’ve won in 19 different countries over 4 decades. That is disrespecting a lot of people!"

Ian Poulter and Thomas Bjorn also tweeted about Azinger's comments.

"I wasn't trying to be malicious. I didn't mean to disrespect anyone," Azinger told the Golf Channel in response.

"But professional golfers choke for two things: cash and prestige.

"And the PGA Tour has the most of both."

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