Rory McIlroy was once again targeted by a disruptive fan during the final day of the Ryder Cup, with the Northern Irishman’s tee shot on the 10th hole interrupted by a rubber duck
Rory McIlroy quickly spotted a troublesome spectator wreaking havoc on the 10th tee at Bethpage Black.
The Northern Irishman has faced relentless barracking over the last three days, yelling back at supporters and watching a drink get lobbed at his wife.
He’s been forced to step away while lining up his shot on numerous occasions because of fans shattering the silence with jibes or rowdy cheers. This time, however, the disturbance came courtesy of a squeaky rubber duck. The first squeak came from behind the tee box.
The spectator then moved position and squeezed it again to the left. McIlroy backed away from his shot and immediately spotted the troublemaker.
Security staff and Team Europe officials quickly surged into the throng of spectators, although the perpetrator had already started making his escape, reports Mirror US.
He didn’t get away with it, though. A Team Europe official came back minutes later and told those nearby, “We got him.”
When challenged, the person insisted, “It wasn’t me.” But when asked to turn out his pockets, he pulled out a tiny rubber duck.
The distraction and delay clearly rattled McIlroy as he snap-hooked his driver low and right. He then double-bogeyed the hole and handed it to Scottie Scheffler.
The issue, however, springs from the Ryder Cup’s own making. While some reckoned the ducks were being sneaked in secretly – it turns out they were actually being handed out at the on-site bars.
For every Cherry Fairway Fizz bought – a $17.50 drink made with Sugarland Ryder Cup Cherry Limeade Moonshine, cherry, and lime – punters got a free Sugarlands Shine duck thrown in.
Each venue got a bag of ducks every morning, and by the time McIlroy had fluffed his 10th shot, one local bar had completely sold out.
One spectator gripping his duck admitted he loved using it to mess about with the police dogs. When he found out what had happened to McIlroy, he lobbed it straight into the bin.
While McIlroy kept getting stick, personal jibes, and jeers on Sunday, the atmosphere was much calmer than it had been the day before.
Additional police had been drafted in after McIlroy’s rough ride. Things nearly kicked off when fourball partner Shane Lowry had to be held back from having a go at a fan.
Looking back on the crowd after his Saturday round, McIlroy said: “Look, you know, when you play an away Ryder Cup, it’s really, really challenging.
“It’s not for me to say [if the crowds went too far]. People can be their own judge of whether they took it too far or not. I’m just proud of us for being able to win today with what we had to go through.”
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