Video captured Joe LaCava protesting against McIlroy as the 34-year-old made his putt on the 18th.
A tense afternoon during Saturday’s four-ball match at the Ryder Cup with Marco Simone turned tense when Rory McIlroy had a heated moment with Patrick Cantlay’s caddy, Joe LaCava, before making the final putt enter number 18.
After Cantlay made the winning putt over McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick, the crowd erupted as Team USA and LaCava players took off their hats to celebrate Cantlay’s incredible hatless effort.
However, LaCava’s exuberance did not go down well with some members of the European team, especially McIlroy, who had words with his caddy before making the putt to halve the match, but he later miss.
Afterwards, Team Europe captain Luke Donald said McIlroy was upset that LaCava was within sight of the four-time Major winner as he prepared for his putt, and footage has now emerged showing LaCava had words with McIlroy just before this potential life. – saving moments. .
A former Ryder Cup champion who had much to say about LaCava’s behavior was Paul McGinley, who spoke about the footage shown on Golf Channel, saying:
“He always takes his anger out on me. Look, he’s there again. I mean Joe, he shouldn’t have been in with a player trying to hit his putt here and that was Joe’s mistake. He shouldn’t do this.
McGinley even drew comparisons to one of the most controversial Ryder Cup matches of all time, the 1999 Ryder Cup match at Brookline, where tensions flared after Justin Leonard made a long-range putt on the 18th, sparking wild celebrations even as Jose Maria Olazabal was still placing.
He continued:
“I agree with Rory. I have no problem with Joe being cheerful in front of the crowd and taking his hat off, but you can’t participate in the players’ performance. “You know, we had a big discussion about it, obviously at Brookline when Justin Leonard made a big shot and there was a lot of conjecture about it.” However, McGinley later admitted that the situation was “not as bad” as that famous incident.
McIlroy was then involved in another argument in the Marco Simone parking lot, this time with Jim “Bones” MacKay, when the argument broke out.
McGinley also commented on the tensions on social media, saying he had “no problem” with McIlroy’s passionate outburst. He wrote:
“There was no problem with Europe and Rory’s passion at the end and in the parking lot – great sport and the Ryder Cup will evoke emotion in players on both sides – hearts on fire .”
This year’s game certainly did that. With 12 singles matches coming up on Sunday, there are plenty of opportunities for further fireworks before the winner is crowned.
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