Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LAST UPDATE | 30 Sep 2023
RORY MCILROY HAD to be restrained after getting involved a heated exchange following the second day’s play at the Ryder Cup in Rome.
The world number two was pushed into a car as Europe team-mate Shane Lowry attempted to defuse what appeared to be an argument outside the clubhouse.
Pictures of the confrontation emerged after a fiery conclusion to Saturday’s fourballs session in which McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick were beaten on the final green by American pair Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
Holy Shit!
— Nathan Murphy (@nathanmurf) September 30, 2023
IT IS ON!
pic.twitter.com/W8QXSak8wf
McIlroy apppeared to take exception at the time to the American team’s celebrations after Cantlay holed a lengthy putt.
Both McIlroy and Fitzpatrick still had putts remaining that could have tied the match.
Arguments reportedly ensued between McIlroy and Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava, with the watching Lowry also becoming involved. It is thought McIlroy may have been upset that LaCava stepped across the line of a European putt as he waved his cap in reference to Cantlay’s hatless appearance.
Reports had emerged during the day that Cantlay was not wearing a team hat in protest at not being paid to appear, something he later denied.
After the match McIlroy said the incident would merely add motivation to his desire to succeed on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman said: “Obviously they had a great finish and Patrick made three great putts at the end to seal the deal, so hats off to them.
“They played a great match, yes, a few scenes there on 18 and just fuel for the fire tomorrow.”
🚨MORE FOOTAGE: pic.twitter.com/CN6HGfnkdh
— Rory Tracker (@RoryTrackr) September 30, 2023
It appears the arguments resumed as the players left the course, however, with TV pictures showing McIlroy angrily pointing his finger at somebody out of shot.
Lowry then steps in to usher McIlroy towards a waiting car.
Cantlay was asked about what occurred beside the 18th green after the match but gave little information.
“He is the best,” he said of LaCava. “That is all there is to say.”
Europe will enter the final day leading 10.5-5.5.
The United States gave themselves a glimmer of hope of retaining the Ryder Cup as Patrick Cantlay holed a 30-foot putt on the final green on Saturday to reduce Europe’s lead to 10.5-5.5 ahead of the closing singles.
Cantlay and Wyndham Clark won the last two holes to beat Rory McIlroy and Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-up in the gathering gloom as the Americans grabbed the afternoon fourballs session 3-1.
But the visitors will still need the biggest Sunday comeback in Ryder Cup history to lift the trophy on European soil for the first time since 1993.
“It felt big, just trying to get any momentum we can going into tomorrow,” said Cantlay who competed without a cap, reportedly in a protest over players not being paid.
McIlroy and Fitzpatrick led 1-up with three holes to play and appeared set to secure a record seven-point advantage after two days for Europe when the Northern Irishman drove the 16th green.
But Cantlay made a crucial birdie, before making it three in succession with his monster effort on the 18th.
The majority of the US team were greenside and celebrated wildly as Cantlay roared in delight, evoking memories of Ian Poulter’s famous Saturday heroics before Europe’s comeback from 10-6 behind at the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012.
That was the last time either side won away from home.
Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre had earlier fought back to see off Justin Thomas and a struggling Jordan Spieth 3 and 2.
The European pair twice trailed one-down on the front nine but rallied as Spieth misfired badly, Thomas failing to shoulder the burden alone.
MacIntyre had missed a succession of putts over the weekend but made three clutch ones on the back nine.
Rose finished off the job on 16, draining a 19-foot effort for birdie.
Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns gave the USA the shot in the arm they needed in the opening match by racing into a 6-up lead with six to play against Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg.
The Scandinavian duo had thrashed Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka by a foursomes record 9 and 7 in the morning.
But they could not hold off their American opponents who closed out a 4 and 3 success.
Max Homa and Brian Harman won the USA’s first full point earlier Saturday and backed it up with a 2 and 1 win over Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard in the second match.
Written by AFP and posted on the42.ie
The Journal publishes the biggest breaking news in Irish and international sport but for all of The 42′s insightful analysis and sharp sportswriting, subscribe here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Come on Europe you got this
@B6Tr3OgE: I sence a tense day 2moro for Europe
@B6Tr3OgE: What a boring sport. Right there with bowls and curling.
@CTW: fair play to you for taking a few minutes out of your high octane life to comment……
Poor Rory nobody allowed to celebrate only him. What a plank.
@Ian Cryan: You clearly know nothing about golf. Caddy in his grill while lining up a putt to halve. Out of order by La Cava.
@Roddy Wyer: I probably forgot more about golf than you ever know. Just look at the amount of likes I have and then weep you plank
@Roddy Wyer: Very few of us are interested in Golf. It astounds me that there are people out there who find it interesting.
You were interested enough to comment on a random article all the same, very sad individual!
@Ian Cryan: “look at my imaginary internet points”. You say you know about golf, then you’d know that when a hole is still in play, you don’t dance around the other players, unless you’re a knob, which might fit the bill here nicely.
@Eoghan Ryan: To briefly highlight just how dreadful it is. Do keep up, son.
@Ian Cryan: You got loads of likes from the Journal comments section.. must make you right then .. lol. ‘Look at the amount of likes i have’.. lol. Christ on a bike..You’re the plank man.. whilst we’re at it.. do tell us if your golf credentials Ian ? Judging by your comments and grammar, i reckon you’re about 11 .. be interested to know what an 11 yr old knows about golf.. although it’s probably past your bedtime now..
@Brian: tell me what you would like to know before I have to go to bed. Mongo Brian
@Brian: now who is the plank
@Brian: fancy challenging me to 18 holes 100e a hole
@Ian Cryan: Stop cryan. P.S I’ve got a handicap of 2 as a senior and one of the most famous European golfer’s wives used to babysit me back in the 70′s. Even your use of grammar and arrogance shows you up to be a know nothing. Your likes mean nothing because David Ike has got more likes than you…… you plank.
@Ian Cryan: still no credentials then.. more bluster .. sad.. not so many likes now Ian..maybe you’re not as popular as you thought.. bless . Night night
@Plastic Paddy: so what if you have .know nothing do you fancy a round aswell. Plastic paddy what a name lol
@Brian: not interested in the challenge
@Ian Cryan: another drunk Irishman !
@Brendan: funny I don’t drink
@Ian Cryan: oh its now based on likes. You commented first, you have more likes than me. I guess that makes you right so. What a PLANK.
@Ian Cryan: you don’t like him but surely you cant see how out of order the caddy was?
@Ian Cryan: I honestly can’t believe you think you’re right because of journal likes, jaysus wept, only a child would say that
@Ian Cryan: Ohh jaysus, no excuse so
@Ian Cryan: you should start, another few thousand dead brain cells won’t make much of a difference.
Some people think they know everything. Don’t bother going down the road to argue with him
@Ian Cryan: I’d like to know if you have figured out that you are the slow fella here?
@Ian Cryan: slack jawed dimwit! – “look at my likes” ! you’re hugely outnumbered now if “likes” is how you measure yourself
The Yanks are rattled. They can always comfort themselves that they the best in the world at sports where they don’t have to play the rest of the world.
@Louis Jacob: except for women’s football, basketball, tennis, athletics, swimming, skiing etc
@Alan: School shootings
I think someone on the US team called him Irish.
@Brian Heffernan:
Well he’s better than that crowd in France
Afraid to sing there there anthem
Your spelling of the word their says a lot about you
Mcllroy showing his true colors that’s why he’s not liked
@: He seems like a sound bloke to me. Handled the LIV thing very well.
@: nah. He’s very much liked.
@eoin fitzpatrick: I hear he doesn’t think cycle lanes are a good idea.
How wrong are you?
@: Paul McGinley likes him….
@Elvis: Shane Lowry too !!
Literally the most liked player amongst fellow players, hence his position as Chair of the players Council and role as a director on the PGA board. Only unliked by begrudgery filled neanderthals.
@eoin fitzpatrick: obsessed with liv
@: he’s not liked because of Irish begrudgery and the fact he doesn’t have tiocfaidh at la tattooed across his forehead. Let’s be real here! He is actually a great ambassador for the game, is a really nice fella and always takes time out for fans etc. I have met Rory a couple of times and he actually is an absolute gentleman. He played for Ireland at the Olympic so you can drop that shite too. Too much politics in sport as it is.
Up the Dubs .
Storm in a Teecup.
Leo for taoiseach lads. #3inarow
You seriously need to get a hobby if this is how you get your kicks on a Saturday night. Seriously.
Im reading some articles, not making homophopic remarks looking for reactions. Get a hobby lad, you’ll be glad of it.
Homophobic comment deleted. But you got my reaction so kudos to you.
All this adulation of McIlroy. About time he actually won something again.
@David O’ Mahoney: lol do keep up, who has won more?
@David O’ Mahoney: Just the 24 PGA tour wins, with the most recent in July this year.
Yanks trying to start another war well well well lol
As an old man in west cork one time: Them aul yanks are awful hoors with their aul shake hands.
Hand bags.
He really frightened that poor yank pointing his finger at him like that
Cantlaya caddy was being a ahole. He shouldn’t habe been up in his grill swinging his cap after Cantlay held his putt. A caddys job is to carry the bag and clean the clubs. They shouldn’t be allowed on rhe greens full stop. Rory was right to be pissed, well at the time anyway. Doesn’t surprise me it was Cantlays caddy either. The pleb is apparently causing issies in the in the US camp looking to be payed to play Ryder Cup…
I always knew that Rory is a GAA man at heart. Taking no excreta.
Mcilroy showing is true colours red white and yellow of his native flag.
Very basic characters, these golfers.
@smatrix mantra: sweeping statement alert!!
He’s a mouthpiece. When you google incidents he’s been involved in, there’s a pretty big list to choose from.
He’s lucky the fight was stopped the caddie lad would have beaten him
have your say