The 2025 Ryder Cup was the most anticipated event of the year. The best players from both the US and Europe were competing against each other at Bethpage. The event was large enough for the country club to feel the need to split the venue. In the end, the Euro team got ahead, despite losing a player and bringing home the win. However, Rory McIlroy has noticed that the discussion wasn’t on the team’s hard work, but rather on the crowd’s behavior when the Euro team would step up to play.
The Crowd’s Behavior And How It Affected McIlroy
The crowd at Bethpage Black was not the best towards the players. Specifically towards the European players. Whenever a player would step up, there was a contingent of the crowd that would erupt in boos, shouting, and personal attacks. It came to a head when McIlroy snapped at them. Eventually, those hecklers were asked to stop, and those who didn’t were escorted away. The reason for their behavior was pinned on Colin Morikawa. The reason for this was that ahead of the tournament, he urged the US supporters to “bring the chaos”. Morikawa doesn’t believe that he is responsible. He claims that he just wanted more hype for the event, given how big it is.
Rory McIlroy On The Aftermath
In the weeks following the Euro team’s victory at Bethpage Black, McIlroy noticed that the discussion was focused not on the teams and the game they played, but rather on the hecklers. The discussion is inevitably going to circle back to them, but McIlroy wants people to talk about the actual game. In an interview, McIlroy said:
“I think the unfortunate thing is, it seems like people aren’t remembering that, and they’re remembering the week for the wrong reasons. I’d like to shift the narrative a little bit and just focus on how good the European Team was and how proud I was to be part of that team to win an away Ryder Cup.”
In that same interview, McIlroy was reminiscing on all that happened. How his team was right on top of the US team during every shot, the birdies they scored, and the singles between him and Scheffler. History was made that week when the rare envelope rule was enacted. Yet the focus is on an unruly crowd.
Crowd Behavior Consequences
As mentioned earlier, the hecklers did experience some consequences for their actions. Especially after the Euro team had to stop playing while the crowd was making noise. Along with McIlroy snapped back. The PGA of America issued a public apology for the crowd’s behavior since the Ryder Cup. Now it is one of the few things this Ryder Cup will be known for. The Euro team was just happy to be there; they weren’t getting paid, and all their prize money would go to a charity of their choice. They were there because they wanted to be. Now, the 2025 Ryder Cup, despite everything that has happened, is being remembered for the way the crowds behaved as the Euro team confidently stepped up to play.
Main Photo Credit: © Peter Casey-Imagn Images
