US Ryder Cup vice-captain Fred Couples has claimed Rory McIlroy disrespected a caddie in front of his wife while defending the actions of Joe LaCava in Saturday’s fiery ending.
The biennial competition burst into life on the 18th green on Saturday as McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick’s fourballs match against Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark came to a dramatic conclusion.
Cantlay made a miraculous birdie on the last, with the American’s caddy LaCava celebrating wildly in the middle of the green, much to the displeasure and anger of McIlroy who still had a putt to tie the match.
The Northern Irishman would fail to make the putt but tensions soon boiled over after the match, with footage showing Shane Lowry holding back McIlroy as he confronted another US caddy, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, in the Marco Simone car park.
McIlroy claimed Saturday’s incident was the “angriest I’ve ever been in my career” and labelled the actions on the 18th green as “disgraceful.”
He later apologised to Mackay for the heated exchange in the car park but Couples has since restoked the flames by brandishing the four-time major champion’s outburst as “disrespectful.”
“He was yelling at Bones, which is disrespectful with his wife standing a foot from him saying words that shouldn’t be said,” the American said on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show. Now I’m also on Rory’s side because I love Rory McIlroy to death. But when you’re angry and want to fight, you say it. Is this a lack of respect?
The pair also came to the defense of LaCava – the 64-year-old’s former caddy for his 22-year professional career – for his role in Saturday night’s defeat.
The couple added: “I want someone to tell me how disrespectful everything that happened was.”
“I haven’t seen it. Patrick shouted, something he didn’t do often, and tossed his fake hat off. We were all in front of the lawn. No one moved. We just took off our hats and made little circles with our hats.
“This is the last match of the day. We were completely under attack. But what, someone did Justin Leonard, run across the lawn? Patrick didn’t do that.
“Rory, God bless you, Rory, because when he made the putt in the Ryder Cup, he yelled ‘vamos’ and ‘let’s go’ and all that. This is what you should do. Joe LaCava is standing [on the field]. I don’t think he moved a meter.
Tensions increased soon after the match ended when Lowry, European vice-captain Thomas Bjorn and McIlroy’s caddy Harry Diamond all faced off against LaCava. However, the couples remained adamant that Europe’s response was disproportionate.
Everyone thought he shut Rory up when he made that hand gesture,” the couple finished. “Little Harry Diamond, whom we all love, has entered. So Joe said, “I don’t have time for you.”
“Then Joe turned and walked away. And Shane Lowry and Thomas Bjorn were yelling at him, which was good. I have no problem with Shane Lowry or Thomas Bjorn: they defend their team’s number one player.
“But no one did anything wrong. He [LaCava] didn’t take his side. That wouldn’t be a 15-yard penalty in college football for taunting. He said he was 6 feet away. Is Joe right? Sure is not. Is there anyone who disrespects the European team?
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