U.S. Ryder Cup vice captain Fred Couples said Rory McIlroy was being “disrespectful” to a caddie in front of his wife at the Ryder Cup, according to TalkSport.
Shane Lowry had to hold back McIlroy while he went to confront American caddy Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay at the Marco Simone Golf Course parking lot after Saturday’s play in the three-day event in Rome.
Mackay’s wife was said to be present and witnessed McIlroy going at Mackay.
The incident followed a scene on the 18th green on Saturday during McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick’s fourballs match against Americans, who lost 16¹/₂ to 11¹/₂ as the Europeans retained the Cup.
Cantlay birdied on the hole and his caddie, Joe LaCava, celebrated in the middle of the green, in which an exasperated McIlroy took exception, saying LaCava was too close to him while he was trying to putt.
McIlroy claimed it was the “angriest I’ve ever been in my career,” and referred to the United States’ actions on the 18th hole “disgraceful.”
McIlroy did issue an apology to Mackay in the aftermath of the event, but Couples wanted to express his views on the dustup on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show earlier this week.
“He was yelling at Bones, which is disrespectful with his wife standing a foot from him saying words that shouldn’t be said,” Couples said, recounting the incident. “Now, I’m on Rory’s side, too, because I love Rory McIlroy to death. But when you’re incensed and you want to fight, you’re going to say things. Is that disrespectful?”
Couples also defended LaCava, who formerly was his caddie, as well as the caddie for Tiger Woods.
“I asked him what was said,” Couples said on his radio show. “He said Rory looked at him and said, ‘Mooove.’ And he made the ooo last a little longer.
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“And Joe replied, ‘Relax, Rory.’”
Couples disputed McIlroy’s assertion that the U.S. team was acting inappropriately.
“I want someone to tell me where anything that happened is disrespectful,” Couples he said. “I didn’t see it. Patrick screamed, which he doesn’t do very often and he tipped his fake cap. We all were on the front of the green. No one moved. We just took our hats off and made little circles with our hats.
“It’s the last match of the day. We’re getting absolutely hammered. But what, did someone do a Justin Leonard, ran across the green? Patrick didn’t.”
“Rory, God bless, Rory, because when he makes a putt in the Ryder Cup, he screams and yells ‘vamos’ and ‘let’s go’ and all that. That’s what you should do. Joe LaCava was standing [on the green]. I don’t think he moved two feet.”
Couples continued, suggesting that the reaction from the European side was ultimately unwarranted.
“People think he shushed Rory when he did that hand gesture. Little Harry Diamond (McIlroy’s caddie), who we all love, too, chimed in. So Joe said, ‘I don’t have time for you,’ ” he added.
“Then Joe turned to get out of the way and Shane Lowry and Thomas Bjorn were screaming some things at him, which is fine,” he said. “I don’t have any problem with Shane Lowry or Thomas Bjorn, they’re protecting the number one player on their team. But no one did anything wrong. [LaCava] didn’t stand over him. It wouldn’t be a 15-yard penalty in college football for taunting. He said he was 6 feet from him. Was Joe right? Probably not. Did anyone disrespect the European team?”
