Steve Elkington explains Michael Sam tweet

Australian golfer Steve Elkington has explained the reasons behind a controversial tweet poking fun at NFL hopeful Michael Sam.

Sam would become the first openly gay player in NFL history if he is chosen in this year's Draft, and Elkington posted a joke about the defensive end taking part in a handbag throwing drill at the scouting combine this past weekend.

However, the 51-year-old insists that he is fully behind Sam's decision to come out and is only against the coverage that it has received in the media.

@shanebacon I'm for Sam I'm against ESPN telling me he's gay....

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) February 25, 2014

It goes back to "a ball hit an oriental spectator".There's no oriental spectators..There just spectators.."like m Sam...He's just an athlete

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) February 25, 2014

Elkington is a former PGA Championship winner having beaten Colin Montgomerie in a playoff in 1995.