Rory McIlroy FUMING with caddie in car park after controversy at Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy has to be pulled away by Shane Lowry outside the clubhouse after Patrick Cantlay putt controversy on 18 at Ryder Cup.

Andy Roberts

30 Sep 2023

Rory McIlroy FUMING with caddie in car park after controversy at Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy was seen raging in the car park after controversy surrounded the manner of his defeat in the Saturday afternoon fourballs at the Ryder Cup against Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.

McIlroy is said to have been unimpressed with Joe LaCava's exuberant celebrations on the 18th green as his man Cantlay drained a 30-footer for birdie.

Only the hole was still alive for Europe to try and earn a tie.

REVEALED: THE 12 SINGLES MATCHES AT THE 2023 RYDER CUP!

McIlroy needed to hole his 20-footer to tie the match, but his ball missed on the low side.

REVEALED: THE TEXT MESSAGE LACAVA SENT MCILROY AFTER BUST UP

The Northern Irishman's playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick also had a chance from 15 feet but he too missed his putt.

WATCH: NEW VIDEO EVIDENCE REVEALS WHY MCILROY GOT SO ANGRY WITH LACAVA

It meant USA saw out a much-needed 1up victory to bring the match back to a five-point deficit heading into the 12 Sunday Singles.

WATCH CANTLAY'S PUTT ON 18 AND THE CELEBRATIONS HERE

Another point and that's a wrap on Day 2. @patrick_cantlay | #RyderCup | #GoUSA pic.twitter.com/t1BI4qECmu
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 30, 2023

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick were 1up with two holes to play but Cantlay birdied both 17 and 18 to win the match.

The score now stands at 10.5-5.5 to Europe heading into the 12 Sunday Singles in Rome.

Zach Johnson's USA took the fourballs session 3-1 to at least give themselves an outside chance of earning their first victory on European soil in 30 years.

Scroll down to watch McIlroy raging about the incident in the car park...

Mcllroy has allegedly taken issue with LaCava in particular, who formerly worked for Tiger Woods prior to his ankle surgery earlier this season.

Woods first hired LaCava as his caddie back in 2011.

LaCava and the rest of Team USA took their caps off and waved them in their air after Cantlay holed his putt.

This particular celebration was after today's latest wild rumour about Cantlay having chosen not to play with a cap on this week because he is not paid to compete in the Ryder Cup. After the round, Cantlay refused to answer whether Ryder Cup players should be paid after there were reports the American is leading a rift in Team USA.

McIlroy and LaCava then had an altercation on the green, and then things spilled over into the car park after the round.

Here's the initial altercation on the 18th green between LaCava and McIlroy:

Live From just showed this angle of LaCava on the 18th green in Rory’s kitchen as he prepared for his birdie putt. Definitely right in Rory’s way. pic.twitter.com/NcBAILHBcJ
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) September 30, 2023

As you can see from the video above, McIlroy took aim at LaCava for standing too close to him as he lined up his own birdie putt.

McIlroy is then also seen having a heated conversation with Justin Thomas' caddie Jim 'Bones' Mackay in the car park after the round.

Bones was reportedly trying to calm down the situation, but McIlroy was having none of it as he continued to blast the actions of LaCava.

Shane Lowry was also seen having to pull McIlroy away from further confrontation.

McIlroy's wife Erica was standing next to her husband as the confrontation played out in the car park.

It is said McIlroy was saying: "This can't happen! This can't happen! It's a f---ing disgrace."

WATCH A RAGING MCILROY IN THE CAR PARK IN THE VIDEO BELOW

A furious Rory McIlroy confronted a Team USA caddie in the car park, after he was spotted waving his cap in McIlroy's face when lining up his final putt on 18… pic.twitter.com/N0SaDg7AsS
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 30, 2023

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was pressed further on McIlroy and LaCava's altercation.

READ DONALD'S COMMENTS HERE

Donald said:

"Yeah, obviously I was there on 18. I saw it unfold when Patrick made that putt, Joe was waving his hat. Obviously there was some hat waving going on throughout the day from the crowd for our players."

"[I] talked to Rory. He politely asked Joe to move aside. He was in his line of vision. He stood there and didn't move for a while and continued to wave the hat, so I think Rory was upset about that."

Donald continued:

"Listen, I'll talk with Rory when I get back. I didn't see the [car park] incident personally. I saw the one on 18. Yeah, I think we always -- as I said in my speech, we always try and play with passion, play with energy, but play with respect. That will certainly be my message to the players.

"Look, wee love this event because of the passion, but we want to do it the right way. Obviously Rory felt like the line was crossed on the 18th green. Again, I will address it with him when I see him. I wasn't there personally in the car park, but when I get back I will talk with him."

What do you make of LaCava's actions on 18? Was Rory McIlroy right to react the way he did when the match was still there to be tied? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.

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