Rory McIlroy's quest for a fifth major title took an ugly turn at The Open Championship as the Northern Irishman endured relentless heckling from spectators at Royal Troon. The four-time major winner, who recently suffered a devastating final-round collapse at the US Open, faced audible barbs throughout his opening round in Scotland.
Sky Sports Pundit Fires Back at Hecklers
Sky Sports analyst and former PGA Championship winner Rich Beem didn't mince words when addressing the crowd's behaviour. "It's disrespectful, it's unacceptable, and it's just not how we do things in golf," Beem declared during the broadcast. "Rory's one of our greatest champions - he deserves better than this."
The incident comes just weeks after McIlroy's heartbreaking near-miss at Pinehurst, where he squandered a two-shot lead with five holes to play. Many expected the 35-year-old to bounce back strongly at golf's oldest championship, but the hostile reception added another layer of difficulty to his challenge.
A Pattern of Poor Fan Behaviour?
This isn't the first time McIlroy has faced unsporting conduct from galleries. The 2014 Open champion has previously spoken about the increasingly rowdy atmosphere at tournaments, particularly in the wake of LIV Golf's emergence and its more permissive approach to fan interaction.
- McIlroy carded a disappointing opening-round 74 at Troon
- Heckling focused on his US Open collapse and LIV Golf stance
- Beem: "This isn't football - golf has traditions of respect"
As McIlroy battles to make the cut, the conversation has shifted from his game to the broader issue of sportsmanship in modern golf. With the game's popularity surging post-pandemic, tournaments face new challenges in maintaining decorum while accommodating younger, more vocal crowds.
