Rory McIlroy was always going to be a central figure at the 2025 Ryder Cup. No one had more attention on them heading into Bethpage Black, and by the end of the week, his presence had shaped much of the event.
After completing his Career Grand Slam at Augusta in April, McIlroy was determined to add a second Ryder Cup win on American soil to his resume.
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He’s still the biggest name in golf, so there were naturally high expectations around how he’d handle Bethpage Black, especially with so much talk about what kind of atmosphere it would be.
But over the three days, things definitely got out of hand.
Paul Azinger wasn’t impressed by Rory McIlroy’s response to crowd abuse at the Ryder Cup
Throughout the week, McIlroy was on the receiving end of a relentless stream of abuse from sections of the crowd. There were moments when he couldn’t help but respond, and during his Saturday match with Shane Lowry, there were reports of multiple spectators being removed.
It made Europe’s win even more satisfying for their fans. Still, some believed McIlroy should have handled himself differently.
Speaking on Subpar, Paul Azinger suggested that McIlroy let himself down with his reaction to the criticism throughout the week.
“I am going to give Rory some credit because he really did take the pressure off the Europeans by stating that winning an away Ryder Cup is one of the toughest achievements in sports,” he said initially.
“So his guys are rolling in with everything to gain and nothing to lose and they are going to face a hostile crowd and they had a chip on their shoulder about it and they showed up very relaxed and ready to roll. I give Rory credit for that but now I want to take a shot at Rory, who I love.
Azinger pointed out that McIlroy rejected a massive offer from LIV Golf and has continued to show his commitment. “Rory probably turned down $500m not to go to LIV,” Azinger continued. “He is a European and we see how much he wants to beat our Tour, but he stayed here and fought for us. He fought for the PGA Tour.”
However, Azinger took issue with how McIlroy presented himself after all was said and done: “But today in the press conference, after it’s over, he is saying that I think golf should be held to a higher standard of decorum. But in the meantime he says f you, f you, f you in full voice for the world to see. He turns around and says shut up.”
How the PGA of America contributed to the chaos at Bethpage
Azinger’s take is a bit odd, though. If McIlroy had been the one to start it all, then sure, he’d have to answer for it.
That would not have made how some of the spectators treated him right at all. Clearly, many found the atmosphere deeply unpleasant. But McIlroy would have brought some of the backlash upon himself.
But that was far from what actually happened. From the moment play began, he was taking heat from a small group in the crowd, and things only got worse as Saturday wore on.
Azinger did put some of it back on organisers too, pointing out how poorly managed fan behaviour had been throughout.
“I think it must have been terrible. But didn’t the PGA of America know when they came here what was going to happen? Of course. We all knew,” he said.
“We have been talking about it for 10 years that this crowd could go crazy. If the beers weren’t $16 a piece it could have been worse!”
The prices surely played into it as well. Fans were paying huge sums just to get in and then even more once inside.
And after two days where Keegan Bradley’s side were completely overrun, plenty clearly felt entitled to vent their anger however they pleased.
The hope is that future events learn from this one because fan conduct should never overshadow what happens between two world-class teams on one of golf’s biggest stages again.