Donald Trump has weighed in after Rory McIlroy and the rest of Team Europe jokingly chanted his name following their dramatic victory in the 45th Ryder Cup.
Despite a strong late push by the US on Sunday, Europe held their ground to win the event on American soil for the first time in over a decade. As part of their celebration, McIlroy and his teammates recorded a playful video holding the trophy and singing, “Are you watching? Are you watching? Are you watching, Donald Trump?”
The US president, who’s a well-known golf enthusiast, took the joke in stride. He reposted the video on Truth Social later that evening with the caption, “Yes, I’m watching. Congratulations!”
McIlroy pushes back after facing aggressive crowd behavior
Trump had visited Bethpage Black earlier in the weekend with his granddaughter Kai Trump, but his appearance didn’t give the U.S. team the lift they needed.
Although they clawed back some ground on Sunday by winning 5 of the first 7 singles matches, it wasn’t enough to erase the deficit from the opening rounds. A crucial putt from Shane Lowry sealed the European win at 15-13.
While the European side celebrated, McIlroy was at the center of tension with the home crowd. The Northern Irishman faced heavy heckling throughout the weekend.
On Friday, he responded to jeers by flipping off spectators.
By Saturday, he was caught on camera telling fans to “shut the f**k up” and refusing to continue until order was restored.
Security around his match was increased, and electronic reminders about proper behavior were shown throughout the venue. After the event, McIlroy voiced concerns about how the fans behaved.
“I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” he said. “Golf should be held to a higher standard… it teaches etiquette, rules, and respect. That wasn’t always the case this week.”
In the end, McIlroy played a crucial role in Europe’s win – and made sure his voice, and message, were both heard loud and clear.
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