A former Moderator of the Church of Scotland has called for this month's Ryder Cup to be kept free of displays of extreme nationalism and bad behaviour.
The Very Rev Dr James Simpson, who will be at Gleneagles as a guest for the battle between Europe and America's top golfers from September 23-28 this month, said that previous competitions had been marred by spectators crossing the lines of acceptable behaviour.
He pointed to the tournament's famous Battle of Brookline in 1990, when Colin Montgomerie was subjected to sustained abuse from the crowd, which led to Tiger Woods calling for an alcohol ban for spectators.
Rev Simpson, a former captain of Royal Dornoch Golf Club, said: "Colin Montgomerie suffered terribly in the Ryder Cup. Some fans who had probably too much to drink just seemed to take it out on him.
"Sometimes you get this bulllying behaviour with a sort of extreme nationalism. The tension, especially on the final day, is considerable. I desperately hope the Ryder Cup won't be spoiled but you just need one or two people getting out of hand for that to happen."
Around 45,000 spectators are expected to attend the three-day event in Perthshire, which will see some of the top names in world golf take to the iconic Scottish course.
Edward Kitson, match director for the 2014 Ryder Cup, said that he was hopeful that everyone would be on their best behaviour and that the competition would pass off without incident.
He said: "The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting sporting events in the world, complemented by passionate and vocal support for both teams. The match is underscored by a clear focus on team play and mutual respect."
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