By Mathew Davies,Matthew Neschis

Copyright walesonline

Ryder Cup host Heather McMahan has reportedly apologised to Rory McIlroy after instigating an offensive chant about the Northern Irish golfer. McIlroy, who was partnered with Shane Lowry for Saturday’s first four-ball match, was subjected to continuous heckling from the boisterous crowd at Bethpage Black Golf Course. In response to the harsh treatment of the 36-year-old, Ryder Cup organisers used the big screens to remind spectators to maintain appropriate behaviour, while police officers were dispatched to identify and eject disorderly fans. However, before the morning foursomes began, McMahan did little to quell the unruly crowd, leading chants against McIlroy. At the 1st tee, she was seen shouting “F— you Rory!” into a megaphone, with those in the grandstands joining in. The incident sparked outrage on social media, with numerous golf fans criticising McMahon for initiating the inappropriate chant. One user wrote: “Someone on the payroll of the @PGA, who was paid to lead the crowd in chants, led them in a ‘F— you, Rory’ this morning as parents sat in the stands with their kids at the @rydercup,” adding, “This is the state of golf in America, 2025,” reports the Mirror US . Another added: “Heard the audio of this. It’s a disgrace if that person is the emcee again on the first tee tomorrow. All for getting the crowd riled up but that’s deplorable.” According to Josh Carpenter of the Sports Business Journal, McMahan apologised to McIlroy for her conduct and resigned from her position as first tee emcee. Initially greeted by chants of “F— you, Rory,” McIlroy responded by blowing kisses towards the crowd behind the 1st tee. However, the jovial banter soon took a darker turn as the day wore on. On several occasions during his four-ball against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young, McIlroy was forced to step away from his shot due to hecklers shouting obscenities and crude remarks at him. When the personal attacks escalated on the 16th hole, McIlroy abruptly stopped his swing preparation and shouted “Shut the f— up” at a fan who yelled, “Freedom!” Speaking to journalists, McIlroy maintained that he was largely unbothered by the fans’ behaviour. “I don’t mind them having a go at us. Like, that’s to be expected,” he said. “I mean, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is. Whenever they are still doing it while you are over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that’s the tough thing. “You know, look, in between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just let us – you gave us the respect to let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have, I guess.” When questioned about whether he thought the opposing fans’ remarks crossed a line, McIlroy responded: “When you play an away Ryder Cup it’s really, really challenging. It’s not for me to say. “People can be their own judge whether they took it too far or not. I’m just proud of us for being able to win with what we had to go through.”