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The Ryder Cup golf tournament last weekend in New York was plagued by poor crowd etiquette and aggressive behaviour, prompting McIlroy to publicly comment on the abuse. Such upset is indicative of the escalating nature of US rhetoric across nearly every facet of daily life, from politics to sport, with no clear end in sight.
Europe managed to seize victory in the Ryder Cup last weekend, holding onto a sizeable lead built up across the first two days of the tournament.
The competition between the US and Europe is golf’s most anticipated international rivalry, with tensions often high before the event is even under way. Taking place in New York across three days, the Ryder Cup is a test of skill, nerve and team work under intense scrutiny. No pressure, then.
However, while the sport is usually all about the players and their performances, this year’s playoffs were plagued by an unruly, mostly-American crowd. Abuse and heckles were rife, with homophobic comments and personal jeers hurled at European players in-between shots.
Behaviour was so bad that Northern Irish golfing star Rory McIlroy denounced the crowd and its actions during a press conference.
He described how his wife had been hit by a thrown beer, and commented that ‘golf should be held to a higher standard than this.’ An official announcer was even recorded leading a chant of ‘f**k you Rory’ before being removed on the final day of the cup, leading to serious questions about the institutional integrity of the sport.
McIlroy seemed visibly upset as he promised better behaviour in Europe at the next tournament in 2027, which will take place across the pond and – perhaps most crucially – away from the US.
What gives, though? Why are US crowds suddenly so visceral with their crowd chants and why is the atmosphere surrounding golf so hostile toward anyone who isn’t an American?
As The Guardian points out, much of this behaviour could arguably be linked back to Trump, a leader who thrives on outrage, division and bullish patriotism that encourages a unique brand of obnoxious derision. Finding the line for acceptable etiquette and gleefully breaking it has been part of the MAGA movement since its inception, and much of this brash behaviour is now more commonplace across other facets of US life.
I was in New York a few weeks ago with my family on a holiday. We happened to be at the same Yankees game that Trump was attending, surrounded by American fans who’d travelled up to the Bronx from the city.
His appearance on the big screens prompted a surge of loud boos and cheers in equal measure, a succinct snapshot of the theatrical vernacular that has become standard practice in the US. The margin for empathy or constructive conversation seems to be ever-smaller, and audience reactions at both the Yankees game and the Ryder Cup were symptomatic of this wider problem that plagues America in 2025.
What’s worse is that international tournaments are showcases for specific countries, and are usually regarded as a reflection of the people and culture of a certain area. The reactions online have made it quite clear how the rest of the world currently views the US in terms of its behaviours and values.
‘America has no respect for themselves or anyone else,’ wrote one commenter on YouTube.
Another added, ‘no respect or dignity, spoilt children throwing their toys out because they are being beaten, quite pathetic really.’ A further comment said, ‘this tournament has summed up America. Their players had to be paid to play this time, and the fans are classless.’
