Rory McIlroy does not want a repeat of the abuse that surrounded Europe’s Ryder Cup win over the United States at Bethpage Black when the tournament takes place in Ireland in 2027.
McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, were repeatedly targeted verbally by spectators. The Europeans won 15-13 on the New York course in September..
The team are due to meet again at Adare Manor in Limerick next September and the 36-year-old believes it is up to him and his team-mates to address the inappropriate behaviour.
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Watch the best moments from the 2025 Ryder Cup
Asked if what happened in Bethpage could lead to more emphasis on crowd behavior, McIlroy said, “It’s up to the home team to set the tone early in the week. If they see or hear something, they point it out right away.
“This is not the way the Ryder Cup should be played. It does not fit the spirit of why the Ryder Cup was created in the first place.
“We will do our best to ensure that the game and competition is played in the right spirit.”
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Take a look at how the European teams handled a raucous Bethpage crowd on day two of the Ryder Cup.
McIlroy is preparing to defend his title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his first PGA Tour event of the year, and is confident he won’t get a similar response this time around.
“I think the Ryder Cup was a one-off because I was on the other team. I hope not,” he said.
“The reception I get at most places I go to play is usually amazing and I am deeply grateful for that. The Ryder Cup was just a one-off.”
McIlroy trails only Scottie Scheffler in the world rankings ahead of the tournament, but knows only consistency will help him close the gap on the world number one.
He said: “I will never stop praising Scottie because what he does and how he does it is amazing. I had such a good race, but it was always a little bit more up and down.
“Anyone who wants to catch Scottie or get close to him is going to have to bring that kind of performance consistently week in and week out like he did. He’s really the first player since Tiger (Woods) to do that.”
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Take a look back at some of McIlroy’s best shots from an unforgettable 2025 as he completed a career Grand Slam, won the Ryder Cup and claimed another Race to Dubai trophy.
McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose is also heading to Pebble Beach in good form after winning the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines with a record 23 under par, and the 45-year-old is confident there’s more to come.
When asked about his game, Rose said, “Honestly, I don’t want to overanalyze it. I just want to keep pushing. I think that’s the most important thing – keep pushing.”
“I can still be better. I don’t really look at what’s going well, I think about what could be better. So I’m not very good at celebrating good things. I’m more interested in ‘Why isn’t it as good as it should be?'”
Watch AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am live Sky Sports Golf Coverage is also in progress from 3:45 PM on Thursday. Sky Sports Main Event From 5pm. Get Sky Sports now or stream with no contract.
