Rory McIlroy snapped at American fans during a heated moment in Saturday’s foursomes during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. The Northern Irishman swore at a group of heckling fans as he prepared to hit a crucial shot on the 16th hole.
McIlroy Swears At Fans After Incessant Heckling
The four-time major winner lined up his approach to the 16th green when members of the crowd heckled him, with one shouting “freedom.” Earlier, the 2025 Masters winner responded to abuse on the first tee by blowing kisses toward fans, but this time he stepped back from his ball, turned to the crowd, and shouted, “Guys, shut the f*** up!” Television cameras caught the flash of anger, and broadcasters apologized afterward.
Rory Mcilroy to the U.S. crowd: “guys shut the fuck up.”
— Tour Pro 🏌️♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) September 27, 2025
The remark drew jeers from the crowd, and the 36-year-old also insisted he wouldn’t continue playing until the fans were quiet. “I’m not gonna putt until they shut up,” he said. The match was delayed for around four minutes before some fans were reportedly ejected from Bethpage Black amid the animosity.
McIlroy struck a brilliant approach shot that finished just a few feet from the pin moments later. His partner Tommy Fleetwood converted the birdie putt, sealing a 3 & 2 victory for Europe over the United States pair Harris English and Collin Morikawa. Their win gave Europe a commanding 8½ – 3½ lead at the end of Saturday’s foursomes as they continued their quest to win in the U.S. for the first time since 2012.
McIlroy Wants More Respect From Fans
The incident added to what has already been a tense week at Bethpage Black. McIlroy has been one of the main targets of the raucous American fans, who have not held back in making their voices heard. McIlroy appeared to make a middle-finger gesture toward the spectators at one point on Friday but said after the game on Saturday that he was expecting the heckling.
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“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. “Whenever they are still doing it while you are over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that’s the tough thing. Look, in between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just let us—give us the respect to let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have, I guess.”
The Bethpage Black crowd has long had a reputation for being one of the most hostile in golf. With New York sports fans known for their passion, European players were always likely to face a testing atmosphere. Europe trained with Virtual Reality headsets ahead of the Ryder Cup earlier this month to mimic the hostile atmosphere they expected at Bethpage.
Main Photo Credit: © Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images
