Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul Azinger has accused Rory McIlroy of hypocrisy after the European star criticised the “unacceptable” behaviour of American fans in New York.
McIlroy was on the receiving end of a barrage of insults and abuse through the three-day contest at Bethpage Black on Long Island, with US fans making constant remarks about his personal life and heckling during his swing routine. The MC stepped down from her role on the first tee and apologised after leading an offensive chant about McIlroy on Saturday morning.
Video also emerged of a drink being thrown at McIlroy’s wife, Erica, who was on the receiving end of taunts from some spectators as she accompanied her husband on the course.
McIlroy largely kept his cool but celebrated wildly on several occasions during the competition and also snapped at some fans, at one point telling a boisterous section of the crowd to “shut the f*** up” as he prepared to play an approach shot. McIlroy then proceeded to hit one of his best shots all weekend.
After Europe won the Ryder Cup 15-13, McIlroy said that the game of golf should not accept personal abuse on the course and called on European fans to cheer on their own rather than insulting their rivals when the rivalry resumes at Ireland’s Adare Manor in 2027.
The chief executive of the PGA of America, Derek Sprague, has promised to apologise to Team Europe and the McIlroy family for the treatment they received at Bethpage.
But Azinger, who captained the US to victory in the 2008 Ryder Cup, was critical of McIlroy’s handling of the situation.
“In the press conference after it’s over, he’s saying, ‘I think golf should be held to a higher standard of decorum’,” Azinger told Golf’s Subpar programme. “But in the meantime, he says, ‘F*** you, F*** you, F*** you’ in full voice for the world to see. He turns around and says to the guy, ‘Shut the f*** up’.
“The guy in the media asked him today, ‘How did that feel, Rory, to tell the guy to shut the f*** up and then hit it two feet?’ And he said, ‘It felt pretty f*****g good’, and I’m like, which is it, Rory? Is it that golf is held to a higher standard? Or are you just going to say ‘F*** you’ to the fans and act like that’s OK?
“I love Rory, you know that, but you can’t say that. You can’t say the fans need to behave better and then in the meantime, lay them to waste.”
McIlroy’s teammate Matt Fitzpatrick has meanwhile hit out at the president of the PGA of America, Don Rea, who defended the behaviour of New York fans.
In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Rea said: “It happened when we were in Rome on the other side and Rory understands … things like that are going to happen and I don’t know what was said.”
Fitzpatrick criticised Rea for downplaying the incidents, saying: “It’s pretty offensive to European fans the fact that he said that.
“I don’t want to speak on behalf of everyone but we did feel there was a little bit of bitterness when they presented the trophy there and shook hands,” said Fitzpatrick, who came into the Ryder Cup with a record of one win and seven losses but contributed 2.5 points in New York.
“I’ve had a number of friends who are American send messages, texts, all sorts, apologising for the fans and saying really sorry that you had to deal with that stuff.”
