Tensions rose at the Ryder Cup after Rory McIlroy was seen angrily confronting a member of the US team in the Marco Simone parking lot after play ended on Saturday.
Rory McIlroy was involved in a violent and foul-mouthed brawl in the PARKING car park at Marco Simone Golf Club after an explosive end to day two of the Ryder Cup.
McIlroy had to be carried away by teammate Shane Lowry after he launched a verbal attack following the afternoon’s dramatic four-ball defeat.
And the Northern Irishman said the thrilling scenes will add “fuel to the fire” for him as Team Europe look for the four points that will help them reclaim the Ryder Cup. “There were some scenes there on the 18th and (it) just adds fuel to the fire for tomorrow,” McIlroy said, shortly after his first defeat in the 2023 Cup. The world number two and teammate Matt Fitzpatrick were beaten by Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay, whose caddy Joe LaCava angered McIlroy by waving his hat in celebration BEFORE the Irishman had a chance to make a shot. The putt could have given the Europeans a draw advantage.
LaCava was also slow to act when asked to step aside by McIlroy, who wanted to line up his effort. LaCava’s antics sparked a violent confrontation between McIlroy and Cantlay’s caddie ON the green, and Team Europe’s talisman was clearly still angry when he ran into a group of American caddies outside the clubhouse .
He was filmed standing in front of Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay – Justin Thomas’s caddy – angrily pointing at someone, widely believed to be LaCava. He shouted angrily and Lowry had to intervene, pushing McIlroy into a waiting car. The clash marks the final day on which Europe needs just four points to win the Ryder Cup after Friday’s eight matches yielded four points, each leaving a total of 10 1/2 – 5 1/2.
European captain Luke Donald said he would speak to McIlroy at the team hotel. Donald said:
“I know about it (the crisis). Rory is an avid gamer. We all are like that. I’ll talk to him about it later.
“We’re all competitors and we want to win, but we want to do it the right way. From what I understand, Rory asked Joey to move and it took him a long time to move, so Rory was upset – and I understand that.”
The clash comes after another dramatic day of golf at the Rome course. Europe entered day two with a comfortable five-point lead, and things only got better for the hosts as they added three more points in the morning session. The United States’ chances evaporated as play continued, but they found some hope in the afternoon in four balls. Zach Johnson’s team picked up their first win of the day, winning three of four matches, including the dramatic finals pitting McIlroy against Fitzpatrick and Cantlay and Clark. Drama built up to a final day of competition where Europe only needed 4 points to win the Ryder Cup.