During an attempt to defend professional golfer Sergio Garcia Fernandez from his own racist statements earlier this week, the head of the European golf tour, George O'Grady, put his foot in his mouth.
When talking about fellow golfer Tiger Woods on Tuesday, Garcia, of Spain, said, "We will serve [him] fried chicken," when asked if he'd invite Woods to his home.
In response to Garcia, Woods took to Twitter: "The comment that was made wasn't silly. It was wrong, hurtful, and clearly inappropriate," he said.
The exchange was a reminder of racist remarks made 16-years earlier when Fuzzy Zoller was in the middle of a similar controversy with a young Woods saying, "You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not the serve fried chicken next year. Got it? Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve."
Garcia eventually apologized and realized his comments were in bad taste - even leaving a message with Wood's manager, Mark Steinberg, to share his remorseful sentiment more personally.
Criticized for not taking a more aggressive approach to the comment, George O'Grady made an attempt at defending the Spanish star when he sat down at a news conference on Thursday.
"We know the connotation in the United States," he told Sky Sports. "We accept all races on the European Tour; we take it very strongly. Most of Sergio's friends are colored athletes in the United States, and he is absolutely abject in his apology and we accept it."
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O'Grady later issued a statement of apology, too.
The European Tour website sites O'Grady as "the Chief Executive of The European Tour." It also says he "heads the administration staff of the 113 based at headquarters in Wentworth, Surrey, with a Board of Directors comprising 11 elected past and present Tour Members and a Tournament Committee of 15 players."
