Rory McIlroy had to deal with hostile and unruly spectators at The Players Championship – just as he did at the Ryder Cup
08:56, 14 Mar 2026Updated 08:57, 14 Mar 2026
Rory McIlroy was heckled as he battled to make the cut at The Players Championship(Image: James Gilbert, Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy battled through a tough start and interruptions from spectators to book his spot for the weekend at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. After an unsteady opening, McIlroy responded at the crucial moment during the second round, posting a one-under score on Friday to move to one-over for the event, which proved enough to make the cut.
While battling rustiness and back issues, he also had to ignore a hostile atmosphere from parts of the crowd. At one stage, a group of spectators reportedly shouted “get in the water” while the Northern Irish golfer attempted a shot across a hazard.
When the ball did end up there, the group cheered, echoing the “hostile” reception his wife and family experienced at last year’s Ryder Cup. The Telegraph reported that several of the disruptive spectators were quickly escorted off the course.
It is unclear whether McIlroy actually heard the comments, but what is clear is that, even while dealing with physical discomfort, he is pushing himself fully and embracing the test ahead.
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Speaking after finishing his round, the 36-year-old said: “Yeah, I mean, I’m happy to be, well, hopefully, depending on what happens this afternoon, but I’m happy to be here for the weekend, I’m happy to get two more rounds at it.
“So yeah, it would have sucked to be going home this afternoon, so to hang around and hopefully play two more days, yeah, that’s a win.”
When asked about the condition of his back, McIlroy admitted it is close to full fitness, though he still needs a little more time to adjust to the intensity of elite competition.
McIlroy eventually survived the cut(Image: Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Yeah, no, it does, it feels pretty much there, not all the way there,” he added, “but I feel like it’s just progressively getting better each and every day, which is great.”
As McIlroy presses on at TPC Sawgrass, the hostile behaviour from some fans brings back memories of the treatment he and his family received during last year’s Ryder Cup. After that tournament, he spoke about the emotional impact it had on his family.
“Erica, my wife, would say she’s a grown woman, she’s strong, she can handle that, but then when it starts to get into your family, I heard stuff about my daughter (Poppy) that I couldn’t even repeat here. It’s horrific.”
He added: “But I think it’s sort of society and culture at the minute as well. It’s that mob mentality where people see other people doing something and then they think it’s okay. And then it sort of builds up.”
The Northern Irishman had to deal with similar fan hostilities at the Ryder Cup last year(Image: Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Now in March 2026, it appears his difficult experience at Bethpage Black has helped prepare him to deal with whatever challenges come his way, including physical issues. Looking back on how he might have reacted if he had missed the cut, especially after coming so close to an early exit this week, McIlroy shared his thoughts.
“I think it does wound your pride,” he admitted. “I mean, I think I’ve, I don’t know about 200, 280 odd starts on the PGA Tour, and I’ve missed maybe less than 30 cuts. So yeah, I’m proud of that, but then in golf, as everyone knows, you have to sort of blow it off and move on to the next thing”.
“But if I hadn’t missed the cut, I probably would have thought about an event going into the Masters, so hopefully I’m here for the weekend and I don’t have to do that.”
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