Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Ryder Cup, Golf, United States, Rory Mcilroy
Ryan Smart
A Ryder Cup staff member has apologised to Rory McIlroy and left her role following an incident on Saturday.
McIlroy, the 2025 Masters champion, has been repeatedly targeted with verbal abuse by American fans at Bethpage Black over both days.
The Northern Irishman, who has won three of his matches and tied the other so far this week, lost patience on the 16th hole on Saturday afternoon and shouted: "Guys, shut the f**k up."
During McIlroy's fourballs match alongside close friend Shane Lowry on Saturday evening, Lowry was held back by a member of his team after another fan shouted out immediately before a tee shot.
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Several fans were ejected by Ryder Cup security staff throughout Saturday in New York.
It also emerged that the unsavoury atmosphere from the crowd was added to by one of the Ryder Cup master of ceremonies.
The MC was heard leading a chant of 'F**k you Rory' prior to the players arriving on the first tee for the morning's foursomes match, which saw McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood take on Collin Morikawa and Harris English.
Audio of the incident - which does contain expletive language - can be heard below.
The PGA have since responded, confirming that, as per Sports Business Journal reporter Josh Carpenter, the MC in question, Heather McMahan, has stepped back from her role.
She has also personally apologised to McIlroy.
She will be replaced on the third and final day of Ryder Cup action, which sees the 12 singles matches take place.
Europe hold a 11.5-4.5 lead over the hosts and need three points to win the Ryder Cup outright, or 2.5 points to retain it.
McIlroy takes part in one of the marquee matches of the day when he takes on world number one Scottie Scheffler.
He will likely be expecting another hostile atmosphere to be created by the American fans in attendance in New York - but refused to say whether he thought the crowd had gone 'too far' when questioned after he and Lowry defeated Thomas and Young on the 18th and final hole on Saturday evening.
"When you play an away Ryder Cup, it's really, really challenging," he said.
"It's not for me to say [whether they crossed the line]. People can be their own judge of whether they went too far or not.
"I'm just proud of us for being able to win today after what we had to go through."