Erica McIlroy Caught in Ryder Cup Chaos as Rory Condemns “Unacceptable” Abuse
Rory McIlroy has condemned the “unacceptable and abusive behaviour” that marred Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in New York, after his wife Erica McIlroy was struck by a flying beer can during Saturday’s heated fourballs session.
The Northern Irish star, visibly frustrated by the unruly atmosphere at Bethpage Black, revealed that Erica’s hat was clipped by the thrown drink as tensions reached a boiling point.
“I wish they had let the dogs off the leashes,” said McIlroy, describing the extraordinary security measures deployed to keep control of the raucous crowd.
Despite the heavy police presence, McIlroy said the hostility was relentless. “Look, nothing was going to happen, there wasn’t going to be a physical altercation or anything like that, but there was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behaviour,” he told reporters. “It’s a minority of the crowd, it’s not the majority.
The majority of people here are true golf fans and are respectful, but I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf.”
Throughout the three days of competition, McIlroy faced crude personal taunts and repeated attempts to disrupt his play.
At one point, he responded with a sharp gesture; on another occasion, he shouted back as police halted play to restore calm.
“I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week,” he said.
“Golf teaches you very good life lessons; it teaches you etiquette, it teaches you how to play by the rules, and it teaches you how to respect people.
Sometimes this week, we didn’t see that. So no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.”
“I was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy and the amount of abuse she received was astonishing.”
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry comment on the beer throwing incident from Saturday. https://t.co/L4Tdl7txeb pic.twitter.com/H22LipW4Os
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) September 29, 2025
Footage shared online captured the moment the beer can hit Erica, who flinched but remained unharmed. McIlroy paid tribute to his wife’s grace under pressure. “Erica is fine. She’s a very, very strong woman.
You know, she handled everything this week with class and poise and dignity like she always has. I love her and we’re going to have a good time celebrating tonight.”
Irish teammate Shane Lowry, who partnered McIlroy during the incident, praised her resilience.
“I was out there for two days with Erica, and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing, and the way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.”
Despite the hostility, McIlroy delivered three-and-a-half crucial points across the foursomes and fourballs, though he narrowly lost his singles match to world number one Scottie Scheffler. “I felt like I was running on empty,” he admitted afterwards.
It mattered little in the end. Team Europe held off a dramatic late charge from the United States, sealing a 15-13 victory and reclaiming the Ryder Cup.
“We did what we needed to do, and we are going to celebrate like there is no tomorrow,” McIlroy declared.
The ugly scenes at Bethpage have sparked debate over the Ryder Cup’s increasingly rowdy culture.
While partisan crowds are part of the event’s appeal, McIlroy’s experience and the incident involving Erica McIlroy are a sharp reminder of the line between passion and abuse.
