The treatment that Rory McIlroy received during the Ryder Cup in New York was simply disgraceful at times.
McIlroy would have been expecting a tough ride at Bethpage Black during Ryder Cup week, but the abuse he received at times crossed the line by a long, long way.
The vitriol aimed at McIlroy and Shane Lowry by US Ryder Cup ‘fans’ during Saturday’s play was quite simply unacceptable.
And the PGA of America have to accept some of the blame for that after they booked a comedian to hype up the American Ryder Cup crowd ahead of the action on day two, only for her to initiate vulgar chants about the five-time major champion.
Things unquestionably have to change.
There is a big difference between supporting your team and abusing players on the opposing side.
Hopefully the Irish fans at Adare Manor will show everyone how it’s done in two years’ time.
Rory McIlroy responds when asked if he wants the Ryder Cup to return to New York
McIlroy handled the abuse he received at Bethpage Black this week superbly.
He took 3.5 points from the four matches he played on Friday and Saturday and that took some doing, given some of the chants that were aimed at him.
The Northern Irishman will obviously be delighted that Europe won the Ryder Cup but he’ll undoubtedly be happy that the week in New York is over as well.
McIlroy was asked if he wants the Ryder Cup to return to New York in the future.
He said: “If the result was the same, absolutely.“
He was then reminded of when he told a fan that he was ‘really good’ after being told he wasn’t by a fan at Bethpage.
McIlroy said: “I am. I am really good.“
He was then asked how he decides when and when not to interact with the fans.
McIlroy replied by saying: “It’s just on impulse. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I am quite an impulsive character if you haven’t noticed! Sometimes I will engage and sometimes I will catch myself and refrain but I don’t really choose when. It’s just sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.“
The reigning Masters champion deserves huge credit for how he performed under exceptionally difficult circumstances this week.
Rory McIlroy says whether the abuse he received at Bethpage was from the minority or majority of fans
McIlroy was asked directly whether the fans in Ireland in 2027 will be equally as tough on the US players as the New Yorkers were on the Europeans at Bethpage.
He said: “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week. Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons, etiquette and how to play by the rules, how to respect people.
“And sometimes this week we did not see that. So, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup. But we will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027, what happened here this week is not acceptable.
“For me, it’s come and support your team. I think if I was an American I would be annoyed. I did not hear a lot of shouts for Scottie today but I heard a lot of shouts against me. It’s like support your players. It was a rough week for all of us but at the same time we shut them up with 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 think we did that.“
He then opened up on the police presence that followed him around the course at Bethpage and whether it was the majority of fans who abused him, or the minority.
McIlroy explained: “The police out there and security presence was insane. There was not going to be any physical altercation about apart from maybe Tommy and Rosey up to the 16th tee yesterday!
“But there was a lot of language which was unacceptable and abusive behaviour but it was a minority of the crowd. It was the minority.
“The majority of people here are true golf fans and are respectful and let both teams have the same chance to hit the shots and play a fair contest.
“But there was a small sub-set of people who behaved a bit differently to that.“
All in all, it sounds like the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was an incredibly difficult experience for McIlroy.
However, he had the last laugh as he and his teammates emerged from the cauldron that was Bethpage victorious.
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