Rory McIlroy is currently preparing for the Paris Olympics, but he still managed to find the time to dish out some Ryder Cup smack talk to one rowdy American fan.
On Monday, McIlroy played a casual round at The Old Course at St Andrews, where he was seen hitting blistering tee shots on holes 12 and 16. While walking the historic course, the 35-year-old briefly stopped to engage in playful banter with the reported 100-200 people that congregated to watch him play.
In one clip posted to social media, an especially energetic fan can be heard shouting at McIlroy: “New York loves you, the Bronx baby, the Bronx.” In response to the overzealous attendee, the Northern Irishman hilariously quipped, “You’re not gonna love us next year!” in reference to the 2025 Ryder Cup.
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Back in 2023, Europe reclaimed the Ryder Cup with a 16.5 to 11.5 win, but the thrilling victory wasn’t without its hiccups. On the heels of the final hole being played at Marco Simone Golf Club, McIlroy and longtime caddie Joe LaCava got into a verbal spat on the green, with the altercation carrying over into the parking lot after the former took issue with the latter’s celebratory antics.
McIlroy’s heated confrontation with LaCava and subsequent shouting match with Jim “Bones” Mackay ultimately became rallying points for he and his European teammates.
Discussing the fallout from the incident at the hotel, McIlroy told the Irish Independent: “Then [European captain] Luke [Donald] comes in and sits down and doesn’t acknowledge anyone. And he looks at me and I’m thinking, ‘I could be in trouble here,’ but he goes, ‘Rory! I ——- loved that!’
“And all the boys started banging the table. It was brilliant. It had been a really deflating finish, but it galvanized the team.”
McIlroy still has quite some time before he’ll be able to represent Team Europe again in the Ryder Cup, with the next edition not taking place until September 2025. But the world No. 3 golfer doesn’t have to wait long to represent Ireland at the Olympics men’s tournament, which kicks off on Thursday at Le Golf National.
At the Tokyo Games back in 2021, McIlroy fell just short of finishing on the podium, losing to C.T. Pan in a seven-man playoff for the bronze medal. American Xander Schauffele took home gold in Japan, while Rory Sabbatini earned silver.
Three years later, McIlroy divulged that he relishes the opportunity to represent Ireland as opposed to Great Britain in the Olympics.
“As I said, previously, once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision,” he said. “The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game. And that’s Ireland.”
