Fan Misconduct at The 2025 Ryder Cup Wasn’t Isolated. Here’s The History

New York , United States – 27 September 2025; Europe vice-captain Francesco Molinari speaks with an official as supporters heckle at the sixth hole during the afternoon fourballs on day two of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course in Farmingdale, New York, USA. (Photo By Vaughn Ridley/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Sportsfile via Getty Images

Insults were shouted, cuss words echoed, and a bottle was sent airborne as tensions peaked during Sunday Singles at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island, New York.

Few sports cities carry the fan reputation of New York, and rumors of poor behavior leading up to the Ryder Cup had already set low expectations. What transpired, however, surpassed them. Tournament officials were eventually forced to assign additional law enforcement to protect members of Team Europe.

“I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory,” Watson said on social media. “Your team play the first few days was sensational. More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, captain, and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”

A Fan Threw A Beer At Rory McIlroy’s Wife

The tournament hit a boiling point on Sunday when a beer cup, flung from a fan’s hand, glanced off Rory McIlroy’s wife Erica’s hat. The man holding two cups didn’t appear to have intended to throw it, another fan seemed to have struck it out of his hand toward the players.

“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week,” McIlroy said after Europe’s victory. “Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you life lessons, etiquette, respect, and how to play by the rules. Sometimes this week we didn’t see that. So no, this should not be acceptable in the Ryder Cup. But we’ll be sure to remind our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here is not acceptable.”

McIlroy appeared to be the primary target of hecklers. His featured group was censored on multiple occasions, with broadcasts bleeping out both fan comments and McIlroy’s own replies. He seemed to take it in stride, after an exchange of curse words with fans, McIlroy followed up by sticking an approach shot to three feet.

“I was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy, and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing,” Shane Lowry said Sunday evening.

Lowry wasn’t spared either. One particularly loud fan could be heard over the TV broadcast calling him “a Teletubby.” And it wasn’t just fans, announcers joined in the taunts.

Heather McMahon, hired as a hype announcer but not part of the broadcast team, led the crowd in a “f*** you Rory” chant on the first tee. She later stepped down from her role and issued an apology.

“What happened here this week is not acceptable,” McIlroy reiterated on Sunday after going 3-1-1 to help Europe to a 15–13 victory over the U.S.

United States players Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau made efforts to quiet the crowds, though DeChambeau drew criticism himself for an altercation with Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. His caddie, Greg Bodine, appeared to walk across Rose’s putting line. Rose, upset with the gesture, exchanged words with Bodine, prompting DeChambeau to confront Fleetwood face-to-face.

“I was ready to hit my putt,” Rose said. “I didn’t feel like that space was being honored. I made my feelings known. Maybe not as politely as I could have, but in that scenario, coming down the stretch, with so much on the line, it’s intense out there.”

This wasn’t the first time American fans developed a hostile reputation. The 1991 “War at the Shore” featured the infamous “Rebel Yell” and streams of obscenities from the crowd. The Gulf War had just ended, and recently returned troops brought their fervor to the Ryder Cup.

“At Kiawah, you’re in a part of the world with a lot of military installations, and the environment was just charged up. The whole thing went too far. It went beyond a golf competition. That said, the objection about the camo hats from the Europeans was a stretch. They could have worn something to support their troops if they wanted. British troops wear camo, too. Last I heard, they don’t wear bright-yellow jumpsuits,” U.S. player Hale Irwin said.

The U.S. team also faced criticism for using two different golf balls during a match, alternating between 90- and 100-compression balls depending on the wind. Under normal stroke-play rules, players must use the same brand and type of ball throughout the round. A local rule, however, allowed players to use their own balls off their assigned tees.

“We were on the seventh hole when Jose Balesteros noticed that Azinger and Beck would play either a 100-compression or a 90-compression ball depending on the wind,” European caddie Billy Foster said. “The argument broke out on the 10th tee. It got a bit heated at times – and a bit nasty.”

The outcome of the 1991 Ryder Cup was twofold: the United States reclaimed the Cup for the first time in eight years with a 14.5–13.5 victory, and the intense patriotism of that year raised the fervor, and the infamy, of Ryder Cup fandom forever.