“Let the dogs off the leashes!” Rory McIlroy quipped, humorously suggesting that police dogs could have been deployed to manage rowdy American fans at Bethpage Black during the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The 36-year-old golfer made this remark at Team Europe’s press conference on September 28, where he candidly discussed the challenging atmosphere created by the New York crowd.
“The police presence was insane,” he noted, laughing. “Nothing was going to happen, but the language and abusive behavior were unacceptable. We shouldn’t ever accept that in golf.”
McIlroy, a five-time Ryder Cup champion, admitted that the heckling took a toll on him throughout the week, yet it made their 15-13 victory even sweeter.
“It was a rough week for all of us,” he reflected. “But we silenced them with our performance. I did respond a few times because it got to me, but we handled everything with class and poise.”
Throughout the weekend, McIlroy faced hecklers directly, even snapping at one fan with an expletive during Saturday’s matches. Later, he celebrated with teammate Shane Lowry, defiantly proclaiming, “I’m really f***ing good!” to the crowd.
The situation escalated significantly, leading to police troopers and K-9 units lining the ropes, with some spectators being ejected from the event.
McIlroy expressed concern over the line that was crossed when his wife, Erica Stoll, was struck by a drink while navigating through the crowd. “It should be off-limits,” he stated. “Erica is fine; she’s incredibly strong and handled everything with dignity.”
He emphasized that the negative behavior represented only a minority of the crowd. “It’s not the majority,” he clarified after Team Europe’s win.
Lowry also commended Stoll for her composure amidst the chaos. “The amount of abuse she received was astonishing,” he remarked. “Her support for Rory and the team was unbelievable.”
Despite losing his singles match to Scottie Scheffler, currently ranked No. 1, McIlroy found satisfaction in contributing 3.5 points for Europe. “Silencing the crowd was very f***ing satisfying,” he said.
“It was tight at the end; a bit stressful,” he added, reflecting on the match's intensity.
Looking ahead, McIlroy hopes future Ryder Cups will foster a more respectful environment. “Golf should be held to a higher standard than what we saw this week,” he asserted. “It has the power to unite people; unfortunately, we didn’t see that this time.”
