Rory McIlroy had to be restrained by European Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry after an acrimonious end to the Saturday fourballs.
The row sparked into life when McIlroy took umbrage with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava’s cap-waving celebrations following Cantlay’s birdie putt on the 18th of the final match on Saturday.
McIlroy and playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick had both yet to attempt their birdie putts, and the row continued after the US won, with loud boos from the crowd.
The incident later spilled out into a car park with McIlroy filmed pointing and remonstrating angrily with someone out of shot, and having to be held back by Lowry.
A furious Rory McIlroy confronted a Team USA caddie in the car park, after he was spotted waving his cap in McIlroy's face when lining up his final putt on 18 😳pic.twitter.com/Ha4r5hDsGi
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 30, 2023
European captain Luke Donald, who was not present at the time of the latter incident, said he would speak to his player in the aftermath of the spat.
He said: “I’ll talk with Rory when I get back. I didn’t see the incident personally, I saw the one on 18. I wasn’t there personally in the car park but, when I get back, I will talk with him.”
Donald was on the 18th at the time of the initial row on a day where Cantlay had been barracked by fans for much of his two rounds.
Reports had emerged that the American had refused to wear a hat in a row over the players not being played but he laughed it off and insisted he wasn’t wearing it simply because it did not fit.
When Cantlay sunk what proved a winning putt in the four and final fourballs, LaCava waved his hat to the crowd to the annoyance of McIlroy and the crowds on 18.
Of that incident, Donald added: “Listen, we’re all competitors. We all want to win but we want to do it in the right way. From what Rory told me, he did ask Joe to move.
“He took a long time to move. It was a little off putting because he still had to putt. And so Rory got upset and I understand that. We love this event because of the passion but we want to do it the right. Rory left like the line was crossed on the 18th green.”
