Chipper Jones Questions Rory McIlroy's Decision to Bring Wife to Ryder Cup
Chipper Jones, a revered figure in Major League Baseball, ignited discussions over Rory McIlroy's choice to have his wife, Erica Stoll, present at the Ryder Cup, where tensions ran high this past weekend.
On September 28, Jones expressed his concerns via social media, arguing that McIlroy should have shielded his family from the intense atmosphere created by New York fans. “I played in NY 12–15 times every yr for 20 yrs and multiple times in the postseason,” he stated on X. “AT NO TIME in 2 decades was my family EVER allowed to go to a game in NY. What do u expect to happen? Is it right? No! But when u are public enemy #1… expect to be treated harshly. No way that I expose my wife or kids to that. It’s unfair, but it’s reality in NY!”
Jones concluded his post with a nod to the European team's performance, saying, “PS… in response to the NY crowd… epic performance by Euro team!”
His comments followed an incident where Stoll was reportedly hit by a drink thrown from the crowd during Team Europe’s victory. McIlroy later reassured reporters about his wife's well-being, stating, “Erica’s fine, she’s a very strong woman. She handled everything with class and dignity like she always has and I love her. We’re going to have a good time celebrating tonight.”
McIlroy also addressed the behavior of some American fans, asserting that such conduct should not be tolerated in golf. “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” he remarked. “Golf teaches you how to respect people. Sometimes this week, we didn’t see that. This should not be what is acceptable at the Ryder Cup.”
Justin Rose from Team Europe admitted he was unaware of the incident involving Stoll until after the tournament. “I actually had no idea Erica had a beer thrown at her yesterday,” Rose said. “So fair play to Erica, she didn’t bring that to the team room. We didn’t make that a big deal.”
Shane Lowry also commended Stoll for her resilience amidst the crowd's hostility. “I was out there for two days with Erica and the amount of abuse she received was astonishing,” he noted. “The way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable and kudos to her for that. Go on Erica.”
While Jones framed McIlroy's decision as questionable, many fans took to social media to defend the golfer's choice. One user remarked, “It’s golf man. You were one of my favorites growing up. This is an absolute bum take.”
Another user countered Jones’ perspective, stating, “This is an outrageous take lmao. I’ve gone to countless Cowboys games in the Meadowlands over the years and never once have I had a drink thrown on me. This is not a common occurrence in NY.”
Ultimately, Europe triumphed over the United States with a score of 15–13 on Sunday, marking McIlroy's seventh title in the Ryder Cup. Reflecting on the week, McIlroy said, “It was a rough week for all of us, but we shut them up by our performance and how we played. We tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise and, for the most part, I felt like we did that.”
