The European team were expecting abuse from the people paying to attend this Ryder Cup, but not from the people the Ryder Cup are paying to entertain them while they are here. In a dismal start to what turned into one of the most rancorous day’s play in the history of the competition, the female master of ceremonies employed to inject some life into the crowd at the 1st tee was recorded using a megaphone to lead a chant of “Fuck you Rory!” before Saturday morning’s foursomes. The PGA of America, which is organising the tournament, was approached for comment but remained oddly silent.
The incident set the tone for everything that happened after. The words became a recurring chant, and by the end of the day the atmosphere around his fourball with Shane Lowry against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young had become so foul that the PGA of America had brought in a squad of state police to try to restore order.
It has to be said McIlroy has not helped himself. During his Friday fourball, he flipped his finger at a heckler while he was walking off the 11th green after Lowry had made a putt to put the team 2 up. On Saturday, McIlroy responded to the chants on the 1st tee by blowing kisses at the crowd. But he finally snapped when he reached the 16th during his foursomes match with Tommy Fleetwood. Someone shouted out: “Freedom!” while McIlroy was getting ready to make his swing. He turned to face the crowd and snapped back: “Shut the fuck up!” before he stepped back up to the ball and hit it to three feet from the pin.
“I don’t mind them having a go at us, that’s to be expected, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is,” said McIlroy after the round, although you guess he was being diplomatic given that a lot of what was said about his wife and private life. “Whenever they are still doing it while you are over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that’s the tough thing. You know, look, in between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just give us the respect to let us hit shots. Give us the same chance that the Americans have.” It did not make any difference.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/sep/27/pga-silent-after-ryder-cup-mc-leads-foul-mouthed-chants-abusing-rory-mcilroy
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