At the end of a spectacular Saturday at the Ryder Cup that saw Europe within four points of regaining the trophy, Rory McIlroy was involved in angry exchanges.
On the 18th green, the Northern Irishman clashed with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie and was later escorted from a nasty scene in the car park by teammate Shane Lowry.
McIlroy was irritated by Joe LaCava’s celebration of Cantlay’s 30-foot birdie putt and how the row spilled over behind the scenes.
LaCava drew close to McIlroy and seemed to trample on the line of the Northern Irishman’s putt, waving his hat in the air.
Luke Donald, der Kapitän von Europa, beobachtete die Ereignisse von der Seite des Grünen und sagte: „Ich habe mit Rory gesprochen. He fragte höflich Joe, sich zurückzuziehen. He verfolgte seine Ziele. I think Rory was upset about that because he stood there and didn’t move for a while and continued to wave the hat.
Justin Rose und Lowry waren ebenfalls verärgert und näherten sich LaCava auf dem Grünen.
Das Ende eines fantastischen Golftages in Rome war bitter.
On the 18th green, Roy McIlroy looks at Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, who is standing in front of him and waving his cap in the air.
Joe LaCava, Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, waited before moving away from Rory McIlroy after his player birdied the 18.
Scores and playing stats for Ryder Cup 2023
In the 96-year history of the event, no side has come from five backs to win, and the hosts hold a 101⁄2-51⁄2 lead.
In the morning alternate-shot foursomes, Europe won 3-1 to extend their lead to 91⁄2-21⁄2.
However, Cantlay won the final two holes against McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick with birdies to score a point as the United States won the final session 3-1 with the birdies.
Die endgültigen grünen Tänze führten zu einem Chor von Schreien von hunderten von Anhängern, die das Loch umgaben.
McIlroy and Fitzpatrick missed birdie chances at Marco Simone Golf Club, which would have halved the match.
„They played a great match, and yeah, I mean, a few scenes there on 18 and just fuel for the fire“, said the world number two to the media.
Videoaufnahmen von McIlroy, der immer noch nervös war, erschien bald, während Lowry seinen deutschen Teamkollegen von einem weiteren Kampf fernhielt.
In celebration of Cantlay’s final birdie, the rest of the American players waving their caps in the air, referring to the fact that he has not worn a cap all week.
Es wurde angenommen, dass er seine Teilnahme verweigert, da er keine Bezahlung erhält, um a der biennial competition teilzunehmen. Die Menschen hatten Caps in Cantlay während der gesamten afternoon session geschwenkt.
However, he addressed that by saying “it just doesn’t fit, it’s as simple as that” in his post-round news conference.
He antwortete, dass es nicht darum ging, Geld zu bekommen, um am Ryder Cup teilzunehmen. Es geht lediglich um das Team USA und die Vorstellung unseres Landes.
Cantlay und sein Spielpartner Wyndham Clark hatten noch nie den Sieg errungen. From the fourth they were one down until Cantlay birdied the eleventh. On the 17th, the American drained another to send the match down the final all square.
Die beiden besten Spiele wurden ebenfalls von den Gästen gewonnen.
Nachdem Viktor Hovland und Ludvig Aberg in der Morgenzeit einen Rekord von 9&7 in vier Ballen erzielt hatten, siegten sie gegen den Weltranglistenersten Scottie Scheffler und den fünffachen Majorsieger Brooks Koepka.
But the Europeans got a thrashing of their own in the better-ball format, as Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa strolled to a 4&3 victory.
In all of the previous 12 games, the United States had not won the first hole, but a Burns birdie put them on the right track. He gewann drei weitere Runde, was ihn auf den dritten Platz brachte. Morikawa gewann zwei Birdies und eine Ente in vier Runde, was ihn auf den sechsten Platz brachte.
Although Aberg birdies kept the Europeans alive, Burns scored just the second full point for the US when the Swede missed 10 feet on the 15.
In der zweiten Partie waren Max Homa und Brian Harman ebenfalls nicht hinterher, als sie Tommy Fleetwood und Nicolai Hojgaard mit 2:1 besiegten.
After six holes, the US three was put up by the Homa birdies, and Harman holed another on the ninth hole to push them further clear.
Hojgaard and Fleetwood tried to make a late rally, and they made birdies on the 14th and 16th, but they only could halve the 17th in pars.
Debutant Bob MacIntyre, who was playing with veteran Englishman Justin Rose for a second time, was Europe’s sole point in the afternoon.
They faced the powerful unbeaten four-ball pair of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Finally, Europe was able to move two clear when the Scot holed a crucial birdie putt on the par-three 13th. Rose knocked in another at the next time while they ran out 3&2 winners.
