Rory McIlroy clashed with a fan on Sunday during the final round of the US PGA Championship, as chanting from the gallery once again drew his ire. The incident occurred on the 16th hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, where McIlroy found himself in heavy rough as his bid for victory petered out.
After playing his shot from the rough, which rebounded into a bunker, a fan shouted “USA” – a chant that has previously provoked McIlroy. The Northern Irishman could be heard on the CBS broadcast telling the fan to “shut the fuck up” before pointing them out to security. McIlroy would go on to par the hole, but his challenge had already faded.
The tournament was ultimately won by England’s Aaron Rai, who became the first English golfer to win the US PGA Championship since 1919. McIlroy finished tied for seventh, earning $637,050, and retained his Masters title last month.
McIlroy's Reaction and Previous Incidents
McIlroy did not comment directly on the fan incident after his round, instead focusing on missed opportunities on the course. “I think not birdieing the two par-fives and making the bogey at the drivable par-four 13th,” he said. “To me, I felt like I played the golf I needed to play the rest of the way. If I birdied the two par-fives and turned that five into a three on 13, the day looks very different.”
This is not the first time McIlroy has had run-ins with American crowds. During last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, his wife was hit by a beer thrown from the galleries, and McIlroy was subjected to abuse throughout the tournament. Sunday’s incident was a minor blemish on what has been a successful spell for the world number two.
The US PGA Championship victory for Aaron Rai marks a historic moment for English golf, ending a 105-year drought in the event. Rai’s composed performance under pressure secured his first major title, overshadowing the controversy surrounding McIlroy.
