Rory McIlroy admits “he lost it” during his Ryder Cup bust-up with caddie Joe LaCava.
Europe’s talisman in Rome regrets the language he used and the names he called people when rowing in a car park at Marco Simone Country Club.
The drama started when McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick lost their match on hole 18 to Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark in the Saturday fourballs.
This spilt into an off-course argument that led to Shane Lowry ushering McIlroy into a car, but it was the 2019 Open champion who stoked the rage within McIlroy with a rousing speech.
“It happened on the 18th green and then we shook hands after – everything was okay,” McIlroy said speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“I got back into the team room and Shane Lowry was giving us an incredible, motivational talk and as he’s speaking, I’m getting angrier and angrier about what happened and that riled me up to what occurred in the car park afterwards.
“As a competitor and a golfer, I have nothing but respect for Patrick Cantlay – he’s an amazing player.
“I lost it, calling people names and things happened that I regret, I used some language in front of people that should never hear that and I’m sitting in the car afterwards going, ‘I probably shouldn’t have done that’.
“But we shook hands and made up and had a beer together on the Sunday night – everything was fine.”
McIlroy admitted the whole thing “wasn’t his finest” moment in an interview with the Irish Independent in November.
The four-time major champion also said his relationship with Cantlay was “average at best” and they “don’t have a ton in common.”
Europe went on to win the event 16.5 – 11.5 after Tommy Fleetwood secured the decisive point in the final session against Rickie Fowler.
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Rory McIlroy: Ryder Cup fight part of exhausting week in Italy
The 44th Ryder Cup was the most fruitful of McIlroy’s seven appearances at the tournament.
His defeat on that heated second-day evening was the only blemish on his otherwise spotless record. His victory against Sam Burns in the Sunday singles was his fourth point, making him the event’s top scorer.
But while speaking on the podcast, McIlroy admitted he’s not immune to fatigue in a week full of pressure and intensity.
“I’m physically exhausted after the Ryder Cup because we play 36 holes on Friday, 36 on Saturday, and then on the last day there is such a quick turnaround,” he added.
“We got back to the hotel at 9 pm from the golf course on Friday night, and the alarm went off at 4 am to get back to the course – Tommy (Fleetwood) and I were the first foursome on at 7.30 am.
“I like to get to the course three hours before I play, to do my preparation and warmups so I don’t feel rushed. By Saturday night I’m so happy to get a lie in.”
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