“Shut up” – Rory McIlroy has a fan removed after a heated moment at the PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy told a fan to “shut up” before having them removed during the final round of the PGA Championship. The Northern Irish golfer was on the par-five 16th hole at Aronimink Golf Club when he got into a heated exchange with a spectator. After hitting his third shot into a bunker, McIlroy didn’t like some comments from the crowd. The six-time Major winner stared at the fan and made his remark before asking security to take them out.
The incident wasn’t fully shown on the live broadcast, but McIlroy looked frustrated throughout the tournament. He finished tied for seventh with a score of 4 under par, five shots behind the surprise winner, Aaron Rai, who became only the second Englishman to win the Major.
McIlroy started the final round at 3 under and only improved by one shot by the end. He made a birdie on the second hole but then had 10 straight pars, which ended his chances of winning. He bogeyed the 13th but bounced back with a birdie on the 14th.
He knew he needed something special on the 16th but hit two shots into the rough, then his third landed in the bunker. It was there that he had the heated exchange, releasing his frustration with his strong reaction.
This tense moment came just a day after McIlroy had praised the friendly crowd in Philadelphia, which was very different from the harsh treatment he got at the Ryder Cup in New York last year. He said, “Most of the time, I get great support wherever I go. It’s just that one week every four years when most of the crowd supports the other side, and that’s understandable. I’d probably do the same if I were them. Overall, I’m very lucky and thankful for the support I receive.”
In the end, Aaron Rai had the day to remember. The 31-year-old from Wolverhampton finished with an amazing 9 under par to claim his first Major win. He held off tough challengers like Jon Rahm and Matti Schmid and became only the second Englishman to win the Wanamaker Trophy, after Jim Barnes did it back in 1916 and 1919.