An angry Rory McIlroy told Ryder Cup fans to ‘shut the f*** up’ on Saturday during a heated moment at Bethpage Black.
McIlroy was preparing to hit the ball on the 16th fairway when several American fans began shouting nearby – with one seemingly shouting ‘freedom’ before another chimed in.
And the Northern Irishman was not happy with the interruption as he quickly scolded the fans, saying: ‘Guys, shut the f*** up!’
The remark drew some jeers from the crowd as McIlroy stepped away from the ball to regroup.
On Friday, McIlroy – who is being cheered on by his wife Erica Stoll – also appeared to give the middle finger to fans during the opening day of the tournament.
During the fourth and final match of that afternoon, McIlroy and Shane Lowry were heckled throughout by the American crowd.
Rory McIlroy lost his cool as he told Ryder Cup fans to ‘shut the f*** up’ on Saturday
Earlier on Saturday, McIlroy tried a friendlier approach with the crowd as he blew a kiss
McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, was seen watching on at Bethpage Black on Saturday
And after they went two-up at the 11th hole, McIlroy was seemingly triggered by something that was said from the hostile New York crowd.
As he walked off the green alongside Lowry, it looked as if the reigning Masters champion raised his middle finger towards fans.
McIlroy’s blow-up on Saturday comes after he initially tried a friendlier approach with the crowd earlier in the day.
He was targeted by a loud chorus of ‘F*** you, Rory’, from the crowd after being introduced for his foursomes match alongside Tommy Fleetwood.
However, after appearing to flash his middle finger the day before, McIlroy chose to react by blowing the fans in the main stand a kiss.
It’s not the first time that McIlroy has gotten fired up during the Ryder Cup.
Two years ago in Rome, McIlroy and his Team Europe teammates were left incensed when Joe LaCava, Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, celebrated in front of him and entered his line of vision as he prepared for a crucial putt.
Tensions later spilled over onto the car park, as a raging McIlroy could be heard shouting ‘This can’t happen, this can’t happen – it’s a f*****g disgrace’ at LaCava.
McIlroy appeared to raise his middle finger at American fans at the Ryder Cup on Friday
Two years ago in Rome during the Ryder Cup, he had a furious row with caddie Joe LaCava
Another US caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay also appeared to try and assuage the situation before a security guard attempted to step in. Irishman Shane Lowry then intervened and led a still-seething McIlroy to a waiting BMW 4×4.
Fred Couples later revealed that the row began with LaCava telling McIlroy to ‘relax.’
‘I asked [LaCava] what was said. He said Rory looked at him and said, ‘Mooove’. And he made the ‘ooo’ last a little longer. And Joe replied, ‘Relax, Rory,’ Couples said on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show.
McIlroy has fared well this tournament thus far, as he and Fleetwood defeated Colin Morikawa and Harris English in their first foursome matchup on Friday.
He and Lowry later tied Sam Burns and Cantlay during their four-ball clash though the matchup produced another fiery moment from McIlroy.
After sinking a put to win the sixth hole, he screamed ‘Come on!’ before he and Lowry high-fived and bumped chests.
He and Fleetwood also took their Saturday foursome matchup against Morikawa and English, with Team Europe maintaining a 7.5 to 3.5 lead over the USA at the time of writing.
More to follow
