It has been a divisive week in the sports world. President Trump called out various NFL players for not standing during the national anthem, saying it would be great if NFL owners would fire "that son of a bitch" who didn't respect the flag. Then he rescinded an invitation to the Warriors star Stephen Curry to come to the White House in a tweet.

The rhetoric has not made its way into the golf world (yet), although with Trump's ties to the sport, it's difficult to see how the two will be kept apart forever. However, PGA Tour winner Peter Malnati became the first professional to take a hard stand against the president's words.

Malnati posted a lengthy piece on Twitter.

"Those who kneel during the national anthem aren't disrespecting the heroes who sacrificed to defend the United States," Malnati wrote. "Those who kneel are pointing out that as a nation, we are not doing a good job of upholding the values for which people sacrificed. The current administration in Washington has made it very clear they don't want the United States to be a nation that cares for those on the margins of society. Or a nation that celebrates freedom and equality. And they certainly don't want it to be a nation of compassion and empathy.

"So when players take a knee today during the national anthem, and the gut reaction of so many people is to call them a 'son of a bitch,' I ask you, what do you stand for? As for me, I stand for freedom. I stand for 'justice, for all.' I stand for equality, for empathy and for compassion."

Malnati went on Golf Channel this week to discuss his piece. He said said he had "no idea" that his tweet would take off the way it did when he put it out there. He also discussed what his gut reaction is when he sees somebody kneeling when the national anthem is played and why golf has gone untouched.

"I don't agree with point-blank, on-the-surface condemning someone who might kneel to our national anthem or our flag right now," Malnati added.

Malnati played in 29 events this season but had just one top-25 finish.