On the heels of Team Europe’s 15-13 victory against the United States at the 2025 Ryder Cup, one of golf’s biggest stars, Rory McIlroy, condemned the “unacceptable and abusive” behavior he witnessed during the weekend tournament.
McIlroy was among several European players who found themselves a target of the crowd at the Bethpage Black Course on Long Island, New York. Throughout the weekend, rowdy spectators shouted obscenities and personal insults at the players.
The Northern Irishman seemed to bear the brunt of the abuse. Spectators heckled McIlroy with homophobic slurs and comments about his nationality and personal life, according to multiple reports.
But it wasn’t just the fans. Comedian Heather McMahan was forced to apologize and step down from her role as master of ceremonies at the tournament after leading a disparaging chant against McIlroy.
At some points during the weekend, McIlroy either refused to play until the crowd quieted down or snapped back. In a now-viral video, the golf star can be seen telling a group of hecklers to “Shut the f— up” before taking a swing.
McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, was also subjected to abuse from the crowd. In another video posted to social media, McIlroy is shown comforting Stoll after a fan threw a beer cup at her on Saturday. The following day, the 36-year-old told the media his wife was “fine” and a “very, very strong woman.”
Reflecting on the weekend, McIlroy said he witnessed “a lot” of “unacceptable and abusive behavior” from fans during the tournament. “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,” he added.
The event was also marked with an appearance by Donald Trump, who became the first sitting U.S. president to attend the competition. After the European team secured victory on Sunday, the players posted a playful video online, trophy in hand, taunting the president over their win, asking, “Are you watching, are you watching, are you watching, Donald Trump?” Later in the evening, Trump reposted the video to his Truth Social platform, writing, “Yes, I’m watching. Congratulations!” Despite the torrent of abuse from the crowd, McIlroy said that in the end, Team Europe got the last word. “It was a rough week for all of us,” he said. “But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played.”
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW.
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