The first day of the Ryder Cup brought out Team Europe’s emotions, particularly towards American fans.
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy were seen giving the middle finger to the crowd at Bethpage Black during Friday’s matches, reacting to the rowdy audience.
Video footage caught McIlroy appearing to gesture at fans behind the 11th Green after the duo took a two-point lead against American players Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.
It’s not entirely clear what prompted McIlroy’s reaction, and other images also captured Lowry making a similar gesture during play.
The intensity on the course was palpable; McIlroy even shed a few tears after making a birdie putt, later celebrating passionately with Lowry after winning the sixth hole.
When McIlroy stepped up to the first tee, he heard a “F-K You, Rory” chant from the crowd, which echoed throughout the day.
Despite the heckling, McIlroy seemed unfazed, managing to win three matches against Tommy Fleetwood in the morning session.
Before the event, McIlroy mentioned trying to harness the crowd’s energy, reflecting on past experiences that yielded mixed results.
He described feeling overwhelmed in 2016 when the U.S. won 17-11 and noted a lack of engagement in 2021 when they lost 19-9.
After Friday’s play, Europe held a 5½-2½ lead, with McIlroy acknowledging their good management of the crowd.
“It was just as we expected,” he reflected, adding that the atmosphere was wild and lively. “They certainly made it challenging for us. But Shane and I handled it well.”
