Ryder Cup Marred by Fan Abuse, Europe Wins

Europe retained the Ryder Cup 15-13 over the United States at Bethpage Black, but the week was marred by sustained abuse from a section of U.S. fans directed at Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll, including chants of “f*** you Rory” and a thrown plastic cup that struck Stoll. The conduct drew widespread condemnation, prompted at least one ejection, and led to extra security measures including deployment of Suffolk County police, the NYPD and police dogs; an MC who led taunts was stood down. Teammates including Justin Rose and Shane Lowry praised Stoll’s composure even as reports said she was reduced to tears, and McIlroy called the behaviour “not acceptable,” saying family members should be off-limits and that he would tell Irish fans in 2027 not to emulate it. The incidents have prompted broad media and player criticism and renewed scrutiny of crowd conduct at major golf events.