Multiple Ryder Cup fans have been escorted off the property at Bethpage Black after the heckling of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry reached boiling point on Saturday afternoon.
Abuse of Team Europe’s players – and McIlroy in particular – has been a theme of the weekend in Long Island, New York, but it crossed a line during day two’s four-balls and led to a series of ejections as the USA’s efforts to win the tournament fell to pieces at the hands of their beleaguered captain Keegan Bradley.
Sources told The Daily Mail extra security was rushed to McIlroy and Lowry’s match against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young, shortly after McIlroy refused to continue playing until ‘they shut up’.
Shane Lowry also snapped at a fan, with the unsavory incident caught on camera. It couldn’t be heard what was said to leave the Irishman so angry – or if the insult was aimed at him or McIlroy – but he appeared to be held back by his caddie before pointing the fan out to security to get them removed.
Then, as McIlroy drained a putt on 14 to move him and Lowry into the lead, he turned around and yelled ‘f***ing come on’ at the crowd in celebration. As he erupted, police were even stood around the green with dogs to help maintain order. USA’s Justin Thomas did his part, too, holding his hands up to the crowd for silence as McIlroy and Lowry lined up putts.
After McIlroy and Lowry won their match, they refused to criticize the American crowd but McIlroy admitted his round had left him ‘drained’.
Things got nasty at the Ryder Cup on Saturday with fans targeting Rory McIlroy
Police presence increased as bad behavior threatened to overshadow the second day
Police even brought dogs with them to help keep peace around the Bethpage course
‘When you’re playing away Ryder Cup it is really, really challenging,’ he said. ‘Not for me to say, people can be their own judge on whether they took it too far. Proud we won today with what we had to go through.
‘I am drained to say the least, he (Lowry) dug in big time when I had to. Credit goes to this guy. He was there for me all day.’
Lowry added: ‘It was intense, something I’ve enver experienced but this is what I live for.
‘This is what I get up in the morning for. I really want us to win this tournament. We still have a job to do, keep our foot on the gas. But very happy now, enjoying this.’
More police had to arrive on the course on a tense afternoon, and the Ryder Cup had ‘standby’ officials they were able to send to specific groups. Cops told the Daily Mail that they were also instructed to stay with Bryson Dechambeau’s group due to fears of tension spilling over. DeChambeau and World No 1 Scottie Scheffler were competing against Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
Things there eventually ignited on the 15th, when Rose appeared unhappy with DeChambeau’s caddie, Greg Bodine, walking onto the green as he lined up a putt. Rose still holed it but on the walk to 16, Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott and European vicecaptain Franco Molinari began arguing, with Fleetwood standing between them. Fleetwood also appeared to exchange words with DeChambeau on his way off the 15th green.
After their tee shots, Bodine had his arm around Molinari and things appeared to cool back down as quickly as they flared up.
‘I was waiting to putt and maybe I didn’t say things as politely as I could have but it was taken the wrong way,’ Rose said, after securing another European victory. ‘But it was a fantastic match. It should be (feud put to bed), I spoke to the boys.
McIlroy yelled ‘f***ing come on’ as he converted a vital putt on 14 to take the lead
Bryson Dechambeau and Scottie Scheffler clashed with Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood
‘I admire them (Scheffler and DeChambeau), huge respect all around. From my point of view, it was something that was taken in a way that wasn’t intended but it was quite a big moment, I was trying to control my environemnt.’
The beaten duo of DeChambeau and Scheffler refused to speak to television cameras moments after losing. But after gathering their thoughts, they accpeted they were outplayed.
‘They made a ton of putts and really tip of a cap to them,’ Scheffler said. ‘They played better than we did.
‘Bryson did a great job battling all day. Did a really good job keeping us in the match, but overall just didn’t do enough, and they played great.’
The Daily Mail also witnessed a police officer telling one fan to ‘quiet the f*** down’ after one particular heckle, and it is understood that some of the shouts at McIlroy and Lowry have included jibes over their wives, families and physical appearance.
Fans had also booed the big screens around Bethpage Black whenever messages were shared warning them about ‘abusive behavior’.
The unsavory atmosphere at Bethpage Black has been gradually increasing since the tournament began on Friday, with McIlroy seen holding up his middle finger to fans as he walked off the course on day one.
Supporters in the grandstand then chanted ‘f*** you, Rory’ to the Northern Irishman when he arrived on the first tee on Saturday morning, only for him to blow kisses in return.
McIlroy then bit back again during the foursomes a few hours later, shouting ‘Guys, shut the f*** up’ after jeers continued while he was trying to play a shot.
Rose, pictured shaking DeChambeau’s hand, downplayed the incident after his victory
Extra security rushed to the scene to try and quell the jeers of the American fans
Tension between specatators and players were heating up as the tournament progressed
The tension coincides with Europe strengthening their lead on Saturday morning, moving 8.5-3.5 ahead of the United States just 30 miles outside of Manhattan.
Ahead of the tournament, families of players on both sides chose to stay away from the event due to fears of things getting nasty in the crowd.
Europe’s Matt Fitzpatrick said his parents were skipping the competition, explaining: ‘They didn’t have a great experience in Whistling Straits (in 2021). That’s not a lie or anything or making anything up.
‘It’s a lot of travel, it’s obviously a busy week. It’s a tiring week. And then they obviously want to have a nice week as well.
‘No denying that they had a bad experience in the past, but there’s no reason why it has to be like that this time. Obviously I’ll miss them this week for sure, but they are doing what’s best for them, and that’s what’s important.’
Fitzpatrick was competing alongside Tyrell Hatton on Saturday afternoon, against USA’s Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
Xander Schauffle’s father Stefan said he is missing the event in part because of crowd trouble and also because of Rory McIlroy’s infamous clash with Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava in Rome, in the parking lot of the golf course.
‘I’m afraid of what’s going to happen in New York,’ he said. ‘I was there [at Whistling Straits] when they called Shane Lowry’s wife a w**** in front of him. I couldn’t believe my ears.
‘Then I saw what happened in Rome. That was utterly disgusting claiming this money bulls*** and Rory (McIlroy) behaved disgustingly in my opinion. It’s only going to get worse. It’s ruined my appetite for the Ryder Cup. It becomes unwatchable.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .