A note to the American golf fans travelling to Bethpage Black this weekend – please stop antagonising Rory McIlroy. It’s not working.
On Friday, in the midst of earning a crucial half point in an afternoon fourball match against the US side’s most formidable duo, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, McIlroy could be seen gesturing at the crowd after his partner, Shane Lowry, had made birdie on the 11th hole. It was hard to make out exactly what the gesture was, but it felt safe to assume it was the middle finger.
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Rory just told the crowd to “shut the fuck up”
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) September 27, 2025
On Saturday morning, things were much less murky at the par-4 16th, where McIlroy stood over a 149-yard approach shot from the rough, he and Tommy Fleetwood leading Collin Morikawa and Harris English 2 up with three to play. The fans had been giving it to McIlroy all morning and were making all sorts of noise during his pre-shot routine. McIlroy had had enough, turning towards the crowd and telling them to “shut the f–k up” with a camera right in front of him. Nothing left up to interpretation this time.
Rory backing off his shot and chirping back at a heckler, then stuffing one inside the Americans' ball pic.twitter.com/V9yyV7ANr0
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) September 27, 2025
McIlroy followed that up in the most baller way imaginable, sending a gap wedge sky high, landing it right on the front of the green and getting it to roll to three feet. Night, night.
This was an absolute gut punch, as Morikawa and English had just begun flipping the match back in their favour. Captain Keegan Bradley’s most-criticised pairing were 4 down after 13 holes then promptly won the 14th and 15th, which made things very interesting and, clearly, got the crowd back in their favour.
McIlroy put a stop to that in this moment, setting up Fleetwood with a kick-in which wound up ending the match after Morikawa missed a birdie putt. It’s all Europe, right now, and it’s all thanks to McIlroy and the other team leader, Jon Rahm, who just claimed his third point of the week alongside Tyrrell Hatton, disposing of Schauffele and Cantlay, 3&2.
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After the match, McIlroy said he has no issues with the American fans “having a go” at him. The only problem he has is when they do it when he’s trying to hit shots.
“Whenever they are still doing it while you are over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that’s the tough thing,” he said.
“Look, between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine,” McIlroy added. “But just let us – you gave us the respect to let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have, I guess.”
