Rory McIlroy’s wife subjected to insults, Shane Lowry taunted over appearance by fans on fiery Ryder Cup Day 2

Rory McIlroy (on the left) and Shane Lowry (on the right) / Source: Getty Images
Rory McIlroy (on the left) and Shane Lowry (on the right) / Source: Getty Images

The second day of the Ryder Cup saw Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry competing against the pair of Justin Thomas and Cameron Young. However, apart from the Europeans' domination, the 2024 Zurich Classic at New Orleans winners went through extreme levels of heckling at Bethpage Black.

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As McIlroy kept racking up crucial Ryder Cup points for Team Europe, his wife, Erica Stoll, was insulted by U.S. fans, according to Joel Beall, a senior golf reporter at Golf Digest. Beall reported hearing repeated insults at families or wives while being with the group for two hours.

Take a look at a post on X (previously Twitter) by NUCLR GOLF about Saturday's incident at the Ryder Cup venue:

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"🚨🗣️⛳️ #UPDATE... Unruly fan behaviour being directed at Lowry / McIlroy group reportedly involves personal insults about wives / families / physical appearance...(Via: @JoelMBeall)"
Screenshot from NUCLR Golf's X post / Source: @NUCLRGOLF on X
Screenshot from NUCLR Golf's X post / Source: @NUCLRGOLF on X

McIlroy's fourball buddy was hit with taunts as he was making a shot. The audience at Bethpage Black mocked Lowry regarding his appearance. A clip shared by NUCLR GOLF on X showed a fan labeling Lowry as "Teletubby."

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"🗣️ #VIDEO... ‘TELETUBBY!'... New York fans TAUNT Shane Lowry following his approach 😵 @LowryTracker ."
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Beall tweeted that McIlroy was "getting hot at security" for the crowd management at the Ryder Cup venue. In another post, the reporter wrote about security being increased at the course as McIlroy and Shane's group headed "to the back."

This year's biennial golf tournament was expected to present Team Europe with a hostile environment. McIlroy had talked about how a "partisan" crowd at Bethpage Black might end up being a hurdle towards Europe's potential away Ryder Cup win. The partners of the golfers were also warned.

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Former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart warned Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry's squad's partners of potential abuse

A week ago, Andrew Coltart spoke with the media regarding the raucous crowd at Bethpage Black. The golfer from Dumfries warned wives and partners of Europeans of the U.S. crowd. He also advised them to stay away from the venue and watch the Ryder Cup elsewhere (as quoted by The Sun):

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"My wife wasn't getting abused because she was back home. ... But some of the other wives and girlfriends had been getting abuse from the crowd. ... So for Bethpage Black ... it might not be a great idea to go out there and they can watch it from a room where it's safe and secure. ... It potentially can be an atmosphere they will never ever be used to and it could be quite upsetting."

Although the Irish golfers were repeatedly heckled, they fired back at times. During the morning foursomes on Saturday, McIlroy yelled back at the audience and told them to "shut the f**k up." After Lowry won the fourth point for Team Europe when he holed an Eagle putt, he pointed at a fan in the crowd and let out a "Yeah, come on. ... F**k you."

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Edited by Pravashis Biswas
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