Roy Keane hit out at Rory McIlroy over his reaction to crowd abuse at the Ryder Cup
Rory McIlroy (Image: Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy has previously shared his thoughts on Roy Keane, who delivered a scathing comment regarding the Holywood man’s wife Erica Stoll. McIlroy faced jeers, whistles and harsh words from the American spectators throughout the recent Ryder Cup victory.
The 36-year-old responded with a few expletive-laden remarks himself, but when his wife Erica had a drink hurled at her from the crowd, he condemned it as ‘unacceptable’. Manchester United icon Keane, however, adopted a contrasting view on the incident, leaving his Overlap co-presenters Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Ian Wright in fits of laughter.
Keane had his fellow pundits roaring with laughter after displaying minimal sympathy and suggesting McIlroy should have instructed his wife: “Just stay at the hotel, love.”, reports the Mirror.
“I’m no expert in golf, I don’t play the game, but I watch top-level sport, and you’re telling me there is pressure on these players because some people were shouting,” Keane remarked.
“In football, if you go to Leeds or Anfield on a Tuesday night [that’s pressure].
“These guys are playing in tournaments every week, and all of a sudden they are going to be upset by a few yanks.
“McIlroy has won all the big prizes, do you think he’s going to be upset by a few people? It’s ridiculous. And then they do get upset because of their partners.
“Let me tell you, if I was a golfer and my partner or wife was getting abuse, I’d go, ‘Just stay at the hotel, love; I’ll see you tonight when I get back.’ You don’t come to the other tournaments, but you get into an outfit and come to the Ryder Cup; stay at home.
“If I’m getting loads of stick, go home. And I bet they go back to a nice hotel, they’re not going to be camping in a tent.”
Roy Keane (Image: (Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images))
Whilst Keane may have intended his remark to be tongue-in-cheek, it’s far from the first instance he’s sparked controversy involving the golfer, having previously rejected him for an autograph when McIlroy was merely 12 years old.
In 2017, McIlroy became an internet sensation after footage emerged of him presenting a golf ball to a young supporter.
The golfer expressed astonishment at the widespread attention the clip garnered, insisting such gestures were routine for him.
“It just shows what such a small thing can mean to a kid,” McIlroy said. “I had it go the other way for me, where I asked someone for an autograph as a kid and they didn’t give it to me. And I’ve never liked them since.
“It was Roy Keane. He should be one of my heroes because I was, and still am, a huge Man United fan. But I remember I went and asked him for his autograph at the Portmarnock Links Hotel when he was with the Ireland squad and he just said ‘no’.
“And it just sort of stuck with me ever since. So, that’s why if a kid asks me for an autograph, I always try to do it.”
McIlroy revisited the incident last year when Keane turned down his request for an autograph, setting the record straight about what actually happened.
Speaking on the Overlap last year, McIlroy said: “I was down at the Parmer Links hotel and the Republic of Ireland team were staying there too.
“I saw one of my Manchester United heroes, Roy Keane, in the lobby, and I must’ve been around 12 years old, so I went over to him asking for an autograph.
“He looked up at me and said, “not today kid”, but it was okay as it didn’t make an impression on me.”
