Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters deletes tweet criticising donations for Notre Dame fire, after advertising for sponsor on his golf bag
RYDER CUP star Thomas Pieters has deleted a tweet he posted which criticised donations to save the Notre Dame Cathedral - while using his golf bag to advertise for a sponsor.
Belgian Pieters, 27, was one of the stars of the 2016 Ryder Cup, teaming up with Rory McIlroy and setting a new rookie record for points earned.
But in a now-deleted post he put up this morning, Pieters said he "did not understand" why money was being asked for to rebuild the cultural landmark devastated in a blaze.
He wrote: "Kids are starving to death in this world and EU wants us to donate to rebuild a building. I don't understand."
But some disagreed with his point of view.
One user replied: "Kids are starving and you get paid millions to hit a ball. I don't understand either."
A fellow user said: "Three weeks ago you won 15,000 euros for finishing 41st in a golf tournament FFS mate."
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One comment read: "Kids are starving to death and (some) golfers are paid millions for four days work... the world is a mass of inequality."
Pieters has won more than £7.6million since turning pro in 2013 and has lucrative endorsement deals with Nike and Callaway.
But a photo of his golf bag taken last month showed him asking for sponsorship - in three languages.
In English, Japanese and Dutch, it read simply: "FOR SALE."
Detectives have begun interviewing specialist restorers linked to the Notre Dame Cathedral as demands grow for the "idiot" responsible to face justice.
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As the flames were finally extinguished after eight hours, prosecutors in Paris began a criminal enquiry and focus also turned to restoring the historic medieval cathedral.
A huge blaze broke out at the 855-year old cathedral yesterday afternoon.
Some 400 firefighters battled the inferno, managing to save the main structure and rescue Jesus' Crown of Thorns.
