Rory McIlroy was captured on camera demanding that a Team USA fan be ejected from the Ryder Cup after being subjected to a homophobic slur during Europe’s dramatic win at Bethpage Black.
The Northern Irishman, 36, was heckled all weekend in New York as Europe battled to their first Ryder Cup victory on American soil since 2012. But one vile incident left a bitter taste in the golf star’s mouth.
Footage from the crowd captured the moment an abusive fan shouted, per The Sun: “Rory, hey you f****t.”
McIlroy immediately stopped and turned to the spectator. He then pointed out the culprit to security and ordered officials to act.
The four-time major champion can be heard telling staff to “kick him out.” The video can be seen below (warning, the clip contains language that some people may find upsetting):
When the fan protested, asking “for what?”, McIlroy fired back: “For calling me a f****t.”
Security then moved in as McIlroy stared down the heckler, making clear he would not let the abuse slide.
The ugly exchange was far from isolated. Throughout the week, McIlroy clashed with spectators at Bethpage Black, where insults and abusive language became a constant backdrop. Even his wife Erica was dragged into the hostility — hit by a beer from the gallery while walking alongside her husband.
Speaking after Europe’s 15-13 victory, McIlroy admitted the atmosphere was beyond anything he had previously experienced. “I wish they had let the dogs off the leashes,” he told reporters. “The police out there and the amount of security presence was insane.
“Look, nothing was going to happen. There wasn’t going to be a physical altercation. There was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behaviour. We shouldn’t ever accept that in golf.
“It was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played. I chirped back a few times because it got to me a few times, but we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise, and for the most part, I felt like we did that.”
Away from the course, golf influencer Paige Spiranac also weighed in, calling out the “abhorrent” behavior she saw all weekend from fans.
She admitted she was “not shocked” but argued that abuse has become “the norm at most sporting events,” demanding change across all sports to stamp it out.
McIlroy and his European teammates also received backing from one of America’s biggest golfing legends.
Tom Watson, the eight-time major champion and former Ryder Cup captain, apologised directly to Europe’s players and admitted he was “ashamed” of what unfolded in New York.
“I’d like to congratulate Europe on their victory,” Watson wrote on X. “Your team play the first few days was sensational. More importantly, I’d like to apologise for the rude and mean-spirited behaviour from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, captain and as an American I am ashamed of what happened.”
Watson’s words stood in stark contrast to the tone from inside Team USA. While Collin Morikawa asked for fans to bring “absolute chaos” before the tournament, American captain Keegan Bradley shared a mixed response to the scenes.
“I thought the fans were passionate,” Bradley told reporters, per The Guardian. “I mean, their home team is getting beat bad. They are passionate fans.”
“But the fans of New York from what I have seen have been pretty good,” he added. “You’re always going to have a few people that cross the line and that’s unfortunate.”
For McIlroy and Team Europe, the victory itself was the perfect answer. Luke Donald’s side overcame one of the most hostile Ryder Cup environments in history, producing clutch performances to silence the noise.
Featured image credit: X (Screenshot)
