Golf legend John Daly recently shared his perspective on the intense fan behavior directed at Rory McIlroy during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

Speaking with Hard Rock Bet, Daly praised McIlroy for playing through the noise without letting it derail his week. At the same time, he framed the crowd's intensity as something closer to home-field passion that boiled over than outright hostility.

“New York fans are loyal, man. They love the USA,” Daly said. “My hat’s off to Rory McIlroy because they absolutely destroyed him. And the thing is, what they have to understand is, it didn’t bother him.”

Daly defended the New York fans' fierce loyalty to the USA, but what happened to McIlroy at Bethpage Black went well beyond the ordinary Ryder Cup.

Fans shouted personal insults through his backswing for three straight days. And things reached a low point on the first tee Saturday morning when event emcee Heather McMahan grabbed a microphone and led the crowd into an obscene chant aimed directly at him. She stepped down from her hosting role by the end of the day and later apologized.

McIlroy's wife, Erica Stoll, wasn't spared either. Video circulating from Saturday showed a drink being thrown in her direction as she walked the course with the crowd. PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague called the behavior unacceptable and personally apologized to McIlroy and Stoll by email.

Whatever the crowd was hoping to accomplish, it didn't work. Team Europe dominated the first two days at Bethpage, sweeping every session to build an 11.5–4.5 lead heading into the final day and ultimately won the game 15–13 on Sunday.

“He[McIlroy] played great, and the whole European team played great, and I think what we must realize is the fans are so awesome—they’re going to get behind the U.S., like the Europeans get behind the European team,” added Daly during the same interview with Hard Rock Bet.

Rory McIlroy Gets a Much Warmer New York Welcome at Shinnecock Hills

Nine months after Bethpage, McIlroy returned to Long Island for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and got a very different reception.

“Look, I love playing around New York. I love playing in this area. It’s got some of the best golf in the world,” McIlroy said before his practice round, perThe New York Times.

“This is different. The Ryder Cup is Us vs. Them, very partisan. It’s just a different beast. … Was it a rough week for me at times? Absolutely. But it is what it is. If that’s a price to pay to live the life that I’m living, then I’m OK with that.”

Fans called out his name and lined the fairways for autographs during his practice rounds and even cheered for him, 'We love you, Rory!” a far cry from the hostility of the Ryder Cup.

The golf, though, did not go McIlroy’s way. He started the tournament well enough to stay in the mix, but by the end of the week he had stalled out at 6-over-par total and tied for 32nd.

Read more at Club Golf!

Written by

Md Saife Fida