Rory McIlroy has come under fire from former American pro Paul Azinger, who accused the European star of hypocrisy following his heated exchanges with U.S. fans during the Ryder Cup.
The 36-year-old Northern Irishman was relentlessly targeted by the New York crowd across the three-day contest at Bethpage Black, with fans attempting to rattle him at crucial moments. At one point, a visibly frustrated McIlroy snapped back, refusing to play until the noise stopped and shouting for spectators to “shut the f— up” before sinking a remarkable shot onto the green.
Afterward, McIlroy admitted in a press conference that it felt “pretty f—— good” to respond in that way. Yet he also insisted that golf should be “held to a higher standard of decorum” when asked about the abuse he and his wife, Erica Stoll—who was even struck with beer—had endured.
For Azinger, those two positions don’t align. Speaking on the Subpar podcast, the 1993 PGA Championship winner praised McIlroy for his loyalty to the PGA Tour in the face of huge offers from LIV Golf but said his Ryder Cup behavior clashed with his message.
“I want to take a shot at Rory, who I love,” Azinger said. “Rory probably turned down $500 million not to go to LIV, and he stayed and fought for the PGA Tour, which I respect him for. But then in the press conference he says golf should be held to a higher standard. In the meantime, he’s screaming ‘F you’ at fans for the world to see. Which is it, Rory?”
Azinger continued:
“You can’t say the fans need to behave better, then turn around and tear into them like that. You have to pick one or the other.”
Despite the controversy, McIlroy played a key role in Team Europe’s 15-13 victory, securing yet another chapter in his Ryder Cup legacy—though not without sparking debate about sportsmanship and double standards.
