Feherty, Monty And Mrs. Doubtfire

In this 2002 piece, Monty with Lewine Mair details all of his hecklers and reveals the story behind the Mrs. Doubtfire, uh, branding. It adds some context to Feherty's remarks today.

Years ago, David Feherty did me no favours when he christened me Mrs Doubtfire. David is a friend and a gifted commentator, but I hated the name and could not disguise that fact. Everywhere I went there would be a couple of people who would yell, "Hey, Mrs Doubtfire!" from behind the ropes, perpetuating the label and making my blood boil. I complained to David's face at the end of the Brookline match because the goings-on of that day had revived the feeling that many of my problems in the States were down to him. The match was not long over when he and I bumped into each other in the team room. Though a former Ryder Cup player, he should not have been in there in the first place and, though I am not usually one to bother about such things, I said that either he would need to leave or I would. When he took no notice, Eimear and I left. David followed and asked: "What's the problem?"

"What's the problem?" I repeated incredulously. I suggested that he should sit down in order that I could spell it out.

Eimear and I both proceeded to give him a piece of our minds, with both of us wanting to know why he should have made so much trouble for someone who had been a team-mate at the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island. He accepted what we were saying, but only up to a point.

The atmosphere between us remained less than cordial until we came face to face at the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla. In one of those circumstances where someone has to say something, I spoke first. "You have got a job to do and I've got a job to do," I began. "You hurt me a lot at Brookline but the time has come to put this behind us." We shook hands, though the indifferent grunt that came with the handshake suggested that he did not care overmuch either way.

Monty is scheduled to meet with the media Wednesday at the PGA Championship.