Raging Rory McIlroy held back and bundled into car after screaming at US caddie as Ryder Cup descends into all-out war
- 7 months ago
A furious Rory McIlroy had to be bundled into a car after the battle for the Ryder Cup exploded last night.
Europe’s talisman and his teammates were left incensed when Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava celebrated in front of the Northern Irishman as he prepared for a crucial putt to save the final match of a tumultuous day.
And in astonishing scenes, as tensions spilled over onto the car park, a raging McIlroy could be heard shouting ‘This can’t happen, this can’t happen – it’s disgrace,’ with a security guard forced to step in before teammate Shane Lowry guided him to a waiting BMW 4x4.
Europe headed into the final day needing four points to regain the trophy with a lead of 10.5-5.5 following a late US comeback but a rollercoaster day of golf was overshadowed by extraordinary scenes as the sunset.
The first flashpoint was triggered on the 18th. Fans at a raucous Marco Simone had spent the round taunting Cantlay by waving their hats in the air after an earlier report claimed he was not wearing a cap as a form of protest against not being paid for competing in the tournament – something he later denied.
And when Cantlay sank a stunning 30-footer to put the US on the brink of winning his match with Wyndham Clark against McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick he responded by mimicking taking off a hat - while bag man LaCava joyously twirled his in McIlroy’s line of vision.
McIlroy made his feelings clear before LaCava went back to argue the point as McIlroy weighed up the key shot. Both Lowry and Justin Rose, who had gathered to watch, also spoke to LaCava and – when subsequently McIlroy and Fitzpatrick missed their shots – made their way onto the green to reinforce the point as the row continued up the tunnel to the clubhouse.
Tempers appeared to cool but around 20 minutes later a video clip emerged of a further confrontation on the car park. McIlroy, still in his playing gear, could be seen angrily pointing his finger and shouting at someone off-shot, believed to be LaCava.
Another US caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay appeared to be trying to ease the situation before a security guard attempted to step in. Irishman Lowry then intervened and led a still-seething McIlroy to the vehicle.
It had been reported that Cantlay was refusing to wear a cap in protest of players not being paid to play the Ryder Cup, which garnered mocking from the European fans who waved their caps at him and sang and chanted at him in jest.
But the Americans, including the wives and caddies, flipped the Europeans' taunting back on them with their celebration of Cantlay's birdie, including LaCava's joy, which sparked the heated scenes on 18.
Europe’s talisman and his teammates were left incensed when Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava celebrated in front of the Northern Irishman as he prepared for a crucial putt to save the final match of a tumultuous day.
And in astonishing scenes, as tensions spilled over onto the car park, a raging McIlroy could be heard shouting ‘This can’t happen, this can’t happen – it’s disgrace,’ with a security guard forced to step in before teammate Shane Lowry guided him to a waiting BMW 4x4.
Europe headed into the final day needing four points to regain the trophy with a lead of 10.5-5.5 following a late US comeback but a rollercoaster day of golf was overshadowed by extraordinary scenes as the sunset.
The first flashpoint was triggered on the 18th. Fans at a raucous Marco Simone had spent the round taunting Cantlay by waving their hats in the air after an earlier report claimed he was not wearing a cap as a form of protest against not being paid for competing in the tournament – something he later denied.
And when Cantlay sank a stunning 30-footer to put the US on the brink of winning his match with Wyndham Clark against McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick he responded by mimicking taking off a hat - while bag man LaCava joyously twirled his in McIlroy’s line of vision.
McIlroy made his feelings clear before LaCava went back to argue the point as McIlroy weighed up the key shot. Both Lowry and Justin Rose, who had gathered to watch, also spoke to LaCava and – when subsequently McIlroy and Fitzpatrick missed their shots – made their way onto the green to reinforce the point as the row continued up the tunnel to the clubhouse.
Tempers appeared to cool but around 20 minutes later a video clip emerged of a further confrontation on the car park. McIlroy, still in his playing gear, could be seen angrily pointing his finger and shouting at someone off-shot, believed to be LaCava.
Another US caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay appeared to be trying to ease the situation before a security guard attempted to step in. Irishman Lowry then intervened and led a still-seething McIlroy to the vehicle.
It had been reported that Cantlay was refusing to wear a cap in protest of players not being paid to play the Ryder Cup, which garnered mocking from the European fans who waved their caps at him and sang and chanted at him in jest.
But the Americans, including the wives and caddies, flipped the Europeans' taunting back on them with their celebration of Cantlay's birdie, including LaCava's joy, which sparked the heated scenes on 18.