US legend ‘ashamed’ of followers who abused McIlroy

Eight-time main champion Tom Watson stated he was “ashamed” by behaviour of US followers on the Ryder Cup as Rory McIlroy referred to as out the hostile New York crowd for “unacceptable and abusive behaviour.”

Raucous followers at Bethpage Black got here below the microscope throughout three days of intense competitors, with European gamers like Shane Lowry and McIlroy firing again at heckling followers, who did all the pieces they may to knock Team Europe off their recreation.

Over his 5 matches, McIlroy endured a torrent of insults about all the pieces from his private life to previous failures on the golf course. People shouted out as he lined as much as swing and putt. His spouse was hit by a cup of beer.

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Video even appeared on social media exhibiting a drink being thrown in the direction of McIlroy and his spouse, reportedly leaving her in tears.

“What happened here this week is not acceptable,” McIlroy stated after going 3-1-1 to assist Europe beat the United States 15-13. His lone loss got here in a Sunday singles match with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, who had additionally performed in all 5 classes, that was extra of a slog than a pristine, shot-for-shot battle of the world’s prime two gamers.

Former US Ryder Cup captain Watson additionally condemned the “mean spirited” behaviour of some sections of the gang at Bethpage Black.

“I’d like to apologise for the rude and mean-spirited behaviour from our American crowd at Bethpage,” he wrote on social media.

“As a former player, captain, and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”

Europe absolutely anticipated the environment to be rowdy and passionate — captain Luke Donald even gave gamers virtual-reality goggles to get used to the noise — however possibly not this crass or downright obnoxious.

McIlroy, who got here to Bethpage on a mission to win his second Ryder Cup on US soil, typically pushed again — whirling round and cursing at his hecklers or stepping away from a shot till the riled plenty settled down.

On Saturday, he advised boisterous followers to “shut the (expletive) up” earlier than knocking his strategy to three toes to arrange a clinching putt in a morning foursomes match. When a fan yelled, “You’re not that good, Rory!” he responded: “I’m (expletive) very good.”

“I am,” McIlroy added on the winners’ press convention. “Really good.”

While there was extra golf to play, McIlroy stayed guarded in his post-match interviews. Asked on Saturday if he thought followers had crossed a line, he stated: “People can be their own judge of whether they took it too far or not.” After all, he nonetheless needed to take care of them on Sunday.

With the crowds gone and the Ryder Cup in hand, the five-time main champion let unfastened.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy advised reporters, his European teammates and captain crowded round on the interview room dais. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.”

Then he turned philosophical in regards to the sport that has made him wealthy and well-liked, that he has labored at since he was a boy, that he has achieved a lot in, together with the profession grand slam.

“Golf has the power to unite folks. Golf teaches you excellent life classes. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how you can play by the principles. It teaches you how you can respect folks,” McIlroy said. “Sometimes this week we didn’t see that. So no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.”

The culprits, he noted, were the minority of a crowd full of “true golf fans” who were “respectful and let both teams have the same chance to hit the shots and play a fair contest.”

As Europe got out to a hot start, leading 5 1/2 to 2 1/2 after the first day, the world’s second-ranked player became European Enemy No.1 among a small but vocal subset of the crowd. As European fans serenaded him with their go-to cheer, a version of a song by the Cranberries that replaces “Zombie” with “Rory,” American fans did everything they could to knock him off his game.

They reminded him of his missed putt to lose the US Open at Pinehurst in 2024. They made fun of his height. They mocked his Irish heritage. They went after his wife.

“I was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy, and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing,” McIlroy’s buddy and teammate Shane Lowry stated. “The approach she was on the market supporting her husband and supporting her group was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.”

Lowry assumed the position of bodyguard and bouncer as tensions rose throughout his and McIlroy’s fourball match on Saturday. The Irishman advised off followers and jawed with hecklers, thumping his chest, marching throughout the inexperienced and cursing on the crowd after sinking a pivotal putt.

By Sunday, a European victory was all however assured. The guests have been up 11 1/2 to 4 1/2 going into the ultimate spherical. No facet had ever come again from such a deficit — and nonetheless hasn’t.

As the US mounted a cost, aided by Scheffler’s win over McIlroy, there have been chants of “USA!” and some insults flung McIlroy’s approach, however followers behaved, for essentially the most half. More than a dozen state troopers flanked their group and a marshal warned spectators to “keep it clean.”

In the end, it was McIlroy who had the final word. In April, he won the Masters after years of trying to complete the career grand slam. Now, he’s won his sixth Ryder Cup in eight tries, improving his record in the event to 19-14-5. And the next one is a veritable home game, at Adare Manor in Ireland.

“We will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable,” he stated. “And for me, it’s, you know, come and support your home team.

“I think if I was an American, I would be annoyed that people — I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie today, but I heard a lot of shouts against me. It’s like, support your players. That’s the thing.”