Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry targeted by rowdy crowd at Bethpage Black
From the moment Bethpage Black was announced in 2013 as the venue for this year`s Ryder Cup, there was an expectation that the competition would be one of the loudest – and potentially rowdiest – in recent memory. However, what unfolded on Saturday during the afternoon four-ball match featuring Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry surpassed all expectations.
Throughout all 18 holes, the European stars were repeatedly heckled and verbally abused, especially during their pre-shot routines or before putting. As the match against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young progressed, and Europe`s lead over the USA grew, the intensity from the crowd escalated, leading to an increased presence of security and multiple fan ejections.
On the fourth green, McIlroy had to step away from his ball multiple times due to fan shouts. Shane Lowry reflected on the day:
We knew what we were going to get coming here. It was a very tough day. Being paired with Rory doesn`t make it any easier. I think he`s bearing the brunt of it.
Earlier on Saturday during the foursomes matches, McIlroy was yelled at as he lined up a shot and responded, “Shut the f— up!”, a moment captured on TV broadcast. He later elaborated:
I don`t mind them having a go at us. Like, that`s to be expected. I mean, that`s what an away Ryder Cup is. But when they`re still doing it while you`re over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that`s the tough thing.
Tensions continued to mount as fans targeted McIlroy with a range of insults. These included direct profanities, specific remarks about his previous major losses at Pinehurst, claims that his Masters win this year was “a fluke,” and even comments about his personal life and marriage. Lowry also received his share of abuse, some concerning his weight, his perceived lack of contribution to his partnership with McIlroy, and accusations that both “couldn`t handle the fans.”
McIlroy acknowledged the challenge of playing in such an environment:
Look, when you play an away Ryder Cup, it`s really, really challenging. It`s not for me to say. People can be their own judge on whether they [the fans] took it too far or not.
By the ninth hole on Saturday afternoon, nearly 20 New York State Police troopers lined the ropes as players teed off. Some Bethpage State Park Police officers on bikes monitored the galleries. On the 10th hole, after Lowry and McIlroy had taken their tee shots, Lowry directly called over a state trooper and had him eject a fan who had directed a comment at McIlroy before his drive.
In a statement, the PGA of America announced that they had increased security and state police presence for McIlroy`s match and other afternoon sessions. They also ramped up the number of messages on videoboards regarding fan behavior. The PGA affirmed:
We will continue to closely monitor fan behavior and take appropriate action.
New York State Police spokesman Beau Duffy confirmed that two fans were ejected.
Despite the added security, the noise and heckling persisted. When McIlroy lined up a putt on the 11th green, multiple marshals, rules officials, and both Thomas and Young raised their arms, attempting to signal the fans in the nearby grandstand to quiet down and allow McIlroy to complete his routine.
Standing behind that green, European player Robert MacIntyre, who sat out the afternoon session, pointed out to a European staff member that Thomas, who had been feeding off the crowd`s energy, was seemingly playing both sides, remarking:
He`s f—ing gearing them up and now he`s trying to calm them down.
McIlroy seemed to suppress his emotions amidst the frenzy until he could retaliate. On the 14th hole, with the match all square, he sank a birdie putt, retrieved his ball, and erupted with emotion. He fist-pumped and gestured towards the grandstand crowd, letting out several shouts of “Come on! Come the f— on!” before staring intensely at the fans for an extended period. When Thomas missed his birdie putt, giving the Europeans a lead in the match for the first time since the ninth hole, McIlroy again stared at the crowd and pointed to the scoreboard.
Reflecting on the grueling day, McIlroy admitted:
It was a really difficult day. I`m drained… I`m going to sleep well tonight.
On the 18th green, after their 2-up victory over Thomas and Young, McIlroy and Lowry embraced their wives and teammates before celebrating with the grandstand crowd, which had filled with several groups of loud European supporters.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley offered his perspective on the American crowd`s conduct:
I thought the fans were passionate. I mean, their home team is getting beat bad. I wasn`t at Rome, but I heard a lot of stories that Rome was pretty violent as well. You`re always going to have a few people that cross the line, and that`s unfortunate… part of it our fault. We are not playing up to the standards that they want to see, and they are angry, and they should be.
Lowry, however, described Saturday`s experience as unique and exhilarating:
It was intense. It was like something I`ve never experienced. But this is what I live for. This is it. This is, honestly, the reason I get up in the morning, for stuff like this. This is what I love doing. I love being a part of this team. I really want us to win this tournament.
