Rory McIlroy says the Ryder Cup abuse directed at him and his wife, Erica, during last year’s contest at Bethpage “galvanised” the European team and made victory even more meaningful.
The Masters champion described receiving a “lovely” message from PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague, who apologised for the behaviour of some American fans during the event.
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“I got a lovely email from Derek Sprague apologising,” McIlroy told BBC Sport ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “Erica worked with Derek at the PGA of America back in the day, so we know him and his wife pretty well. He couldn’t have been more gracious or apologetic, and he wrote us a lovely letter, which we really appreciated.”
Erica McIlroy was struck by a beer can thrown from the crowd on the Saturday, while her husband faced jeers throughout the three days of play.
“I take it as a compliment that they targeted me,” McIlroy said. “It was a tough week, but that made us better as a team. It brought us closer and put our arms around each other.”
The 36-year-old partnered Shane Lowry during the most heated sessions on Friday and Saturday. Lowry holed the decisive putt that ensured Europe could not be beaten, despite a fierce American fightback on the final day.
“Honestly, I was just so happy to have Shane beside me,” McIlroy said. “He was like the big brother I never had. He played incredible golf to keep us in it. We won one and a half points from two matches, and him holing that putt was the perfect way to end the week.”
McIlroy insists the crowd scenes should not overshadow Europe’s performance, particularly their strong foursomes and fourball showings. The triumph capped what he calls “the season of his golfing life”, which included his Masters win, Players Championship, Pebble Beach, and Irish Open victories.
Reflecting ahead of his return to the Middle East for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour finale in Dubai, McIlroy said:
“I think back to the start of 2025 when I was last here and everything that’s happened since. Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I didn’t know. I knew a year like this was possible, but it’s just been an amazing ten months.”
The Northern Irishman now leads the Race to Dubai, holding a narrow margin over England’s Marco Penge.
“I remember trying to win my first Race to Dubai in 2009 against Lee Westwood,” McIlroy said. “I was hungry and motivated, and I’m sure that’s how Marco feels now. It’s going to be an exciting couple of weeks.”
You can read more about current spectator conduct guidance for major tournaments here.
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