Rory McIlroy fights back tears at Ryder Cup as he denies meeting Joe LaCava
Rory McIlroy was on the verge of tears as he addressed his furious bust-up with Patrick Cantlay's caddie after winning his singles match at the Ryder Cup.
Rory McIlroy was holding back tears as he revealed his furious bust-up with Patrick Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava 'lit a fire' under Team Europe's bellies.
McIlroy was incandescent with rage after his Saturday evening fourballs match with Matthew Fitzpatrick had concluded in defeat against Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
The 34-year-old was angry that LaCava continued to celebrate Cantlay's sensational birdie putt by waving his hat around on the green.
The gesture was in support for the American, 30, who was accused of not wearing a Team USA cap as a protest about not getting paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
Cantlay denied he was protesting.
As for McIlroy, the verbal exchange he had on the green with LaCava overspilled into the car park at the on-course hotel.
He had to be forced into a vehicle by Shane Lowry in front of his wife Erica Stoll after he is said to have yelled at the caddie: "It shouldn't happen! It shouldn't happen! It's a f---ing disgrace!"
According to SI, McIlroy and LaCava are said to have patched things up before the Sunday singles began after LaCava reached out via text, saying he had 'nothing but respect' for the four-times major champion.
But McIlroy said he had not met the caddie. "I have not met Joe," he said.
Cantlay and McIlroy both won their matches. McIlroy defeated Sam Burns 3&1 whereas the American saw off Justin Rose 2&1 in a tense battle.
McIlroy said:
After Cantlay won, LaCava told SI's Bob Harig that he wasn't able to speak about the topic per a request by U.S. captain Zach Johanson.
McIlroy's point meant the score was 13-7 in favour of Europe.
Two years ago at Whistling Straits he was in floods of tears after Padraig Harrington's miserable fate was all-but sealed.
And he choked up by the side of the 17th green at Marco Simone as he explained why the Cup means so much to him.
McIlroy said it was a 'deflating' finish to the evening.
"But I think what transpired in that last green, it all gave us a little bit of a fire in our bellies to try and get the job done today," he said.
Europe were on the brink of victory once McIlroy had won his match.
Ryder Cup results 2023
Sunday singles:
Tied Jon Rahm vs. Scottie Scheffler
4&3 Viktor Hovland vs. Collin Morikawa
Justin Rose vs. Patrick Cantlay 2&1
3&1 Rory McIlroy vs. Sam Burns
Matt Fitzpatrick vs. Max Homa 1UP
3&2 Tyrrell Hatton vs. Brian Harman
Ludvig Aberg vs. Brooks Koepka 3&2
Sepp Straka vs. Justin Thomas 2UP
Nicolai Hojgaard vs. Xander Schauffele 3&2
Tied Shane Lowry vs. Jordan Spieth
3&1 Tommy Fleetwood vs. Rickie Fowler
2&1 Bob MacIntyre vs. Wyndham Clark
Saturday morning foursomes
2&1 McIlroy / Fleetwood vs. Thomas / Spieth
9&7 Hovland / Aberg vs. Scheffler / Koepka
Lowry / Straka vs Homa / Harman / Homa 4&2
2&1 Hatton / Rahm vs. Cantlay / Schauffele
Saturday afternoon fourballs:
Hovland / Aberg vs. Burns / Morikawa 4&3
Fleetwood / Hojgaard vs. Homa / Harman 2&1
3&2 Rose / MacIntyre vs. Thomas / Spieth
Fitzpatrick / McIlroy vs. Cantlay / Clark 1UP
Friday morning foursomes:
4&3 Rahm / Hatton vs. Scheffler / Burns
4&3 Hovland / Aberg vs. Homa / Harman
2&1 Lowry / Straka vs. Fowler / Morikawa
2&1 McIlroy / Fleetwood vs. Schauffele / Cantlay
Friday afternoon fourballs:
Tied: Hovland / Hatton vs. Thomas / Spieth
Tied: Rahm / Hovland vs. Scheffler / Kopeka
Tied: Rose / MacIntyre vs. Homa / Clark
5&3 McIlroy / Fitzpatrick vs. Morikawa / Schauffel
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