Chaska, Minnesota …
A furious Rory McIlroy called on security officials to remove a Hazeltine heckler after a very vulgar and unprovoked exchange early in his Saturday afternoon Fourball match.
The fan launched into his verbal abuse of McIlroy as he walked between spectators from the seventh green and the eighth tee and his and Thomas Pieter’s match match with Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson.
McIlroy could clearly hear what was a very disgusting ‘Suck a d*** , Rory’ remark, so much so he turned immediately and strode straight for the culprit.
Rory McIlroy points out the Hazeltine heckler (Photo – Christine Brennan)
“Get him out of here”, McIlroy demanded after the fan allegedly made remarks about his relationship with Caroline Wozniacki. And with that the fans around the culprit began chanting: Get him out, get him out”.
The four-time capped European star and the Belgian-born rookie were 2up in their match at the time.
McIlroy, with the protection of a handful of marshals, waited in the near vicinity until confirmation the heckler would be removed from the Minnesota course.
McIlroy had raised the issue of ‘a hostile environment’ following he and Pieters final Fourball victory late on Friday when McIlroy bowed to the crowd after holing his eagle putt that put Europe within a point of their American rivals.
“It’s a hostile environment out there, and I just want everyone that’s watching out there to know how much this means to us,” he said.
Rory McIlroy waits to ensure the heckler is thrown off the course. (Photo – Christine Brennan)
“But I’m not fazed by anything that is said by the crowd and not fazed by anything the US Team throws at us.”
Though McIlroy surely was not counting on what transpired mid-afternoon Saturday in the 10, 000 Lakes State.
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who teamed with Sergio Garcia, to deliver Europe a vital half in the last match on Saturday morning, also found himself dragged into Hazeltine crowd behaviour.
“Of course, the crowd is cheering for the Americans, which is natural. It’s exactly the same when happens when the Ryder Cup is held in Europe,” said Cabrera-Bello.
“Ninety-nine percent of the crowd are fantastic. They support their team. Of course, they root for themselves and they want to put a little bit of pressure on you, but everything with honesty and respect, respecting us and respecting the game.
“But like in every other sporting event of masses and big crowds, there’s always a 0.1 percent who don’t really understand the values we are playing and competing here for and they got off-line, and the rest are great.
“So we just accept it. We are not paying attention to what the crowd does, and we won’t be distracted with what they say or not.”
