Sky Sports came under heavy fire from golf fans on X by bringing up the fact Billy Horschel’s wife Brittany is an alcoholic during coverage of The Open.
Billy Horschel leads The Open after 54 holes so naturally the American is a huge topic of conversation.
Some uninitiated viewers might like to know a little about his history.
That’s why Sky Sports decided to give those watching their broadcast a little bit more information about the American as he cultivated a one-shot lead at Royal Troon on Saturday afternoon.
As well as talking about his PGA Tour wins and the fact he’s never led a major championship at this point, Sky Sports’ Sarah Stirk decided to bring up the fact his wife Brittany has struggled with alcohol abuse.
It is something that Horschel and Brittany have been open and honest about in the past.
But some golf fans on X were furious and did not see the relevance.
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What has Billy Horschel said about his wife?
Unsurprisingly, Horschel has spoken at length about how proud he is.
During an appearance on Sky Sports’ golf podcast four years ago, he said he got emotional every time he talked about it.
He added: “It was something that my wife was dealing with for a lot longer than I realised
“She’s done so well and is four years sober now.
“The saying goes one day at a time and she takes it that way.
“She has learned how to manage her anxiety, her stress levels, has dealt with depression and has been a great advocate for anyone dealing with addiction, especially with women.
He continued: “I understand it’s tough because sometimes these people have done stuff to tear away at your trust and their belief in them, but you’ve got to continue to support them and hopefully the light will be there at the end of the tunnel for them to walk towards it.”
This was not the first ill-judged comment made on a golf broadcast this week.
Former professional Mark Roe also came under heavy fire for saying Tiger Woods looked like he was playing the major on painkillers.
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