Rory McIlroy got a rough ride from the American fans at Bethpage Black during the Ryder Cup last September.
He was a key figure in Europe’s win, earning 3.5 points from his five matches, but it came with plenty of noise from the crowd.
Some of the abuse directed at him over the three days went well beyond the line.
The 2025 Masters champion, along with his teammates and all of their wives and partners, were subjected to vile chants.
Rory McIlroy says Ryder Cup abuse worst he has ever had
The atmosphere at Bethpage was harsh, with McIlroy taking the brunt of it from the crowd. The intensity of the abuse was evident to anyone watching, but how did it stack up against past experiences?
During his appearance on The Overlap Podcast, McIlroy was asked directly if what he faced at Bethpage was the worst he had ever had on a golf course.
“Oh, by far,” McIlroy said without hesitation.
“Yeah, 2016, we played Ryder Cup in Minnesota, and I thought that was bad, but that, you know, I compare this year to 2016 and, like, 2016 was nothing compared to some of the stuff we heard.
“But, look, it’s, again, it’s society and it’s culture at the minute, and, you know, a bit of the mob mentality thing happened.”
He concluded: “But look, there’s 50,000 people there and all it takes is 500 of those to be bad eggs and then all of a sudden it sort of skews the atmosphere.”
Rory McIlroy explains shift in Ryder Cup fan behaviour during Sunday singles
There was a noticeable shift in how European players were treated by fans on the final day compared to the opening sessions, and McIlroy gave some interesting thoughts on why he thinks that happened.
“I also think as well, for the Ryder Cup during the first two days, there are 50,000 people on four holes. So it’s so tight and so packed in, and so condensed.
“And then on Sunday, there are 12 matches, so the crowd is a little more dispersed around the golf course, so they do not really get into that mob mentality as much.”
McIlroy’s observation is absolutely correct, and it is a point that certainly deserves more attention.
The way fans crowd together early in the event probably adds to that intense atmosphere. When everyone is squeezed into a few holes, it creates an environment where things can get out of hand pretty quickly.
But even with those factors at play, it does not justify everything that went on at Bethpage Black. Some of what happened crossed a line that should not be ignored.
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