![\"McIlroy\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/216f670656d6a678ca660eb5365df646-1759133385.jpg\")
PA MediaMcIlroy\u2019s wife Erica Stoll was also caught up in crowd trouble at Bethpage. PA Media<\/p>\nRory McIlroy said police dogs should have been let off leashes after his wife was struck by a beer cup amid unacceptable scenes at the Ryder Cup.<\/p>\n
The Northern Irishman was heckled throughout the three days at Bethpage Black by a raucous crowd, suffering crude personal taunts and repeated attempts to distract him as he prepared to play shots.<\/p>\n
The world number two revealed his wife Erica was also caught in the commotion as a beer tossed from the crowd hit her hat when the atmosphere was at its most frenzied during Saturday\u2019s fractious fourballs session.<\/p>\n
McIlroy himself lost his cool at times during the week, making an offensive gesture on one occasion and shouting back on another, while play was repeatedly held up as police tried to restore calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish they had let the dogs off the leashes,\u201d said McIlroy in a press conference after Europe held off a remarkable United States fightback to win the trophy 15-13 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police out there and the amount of security presence was insane.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, nothing was going to happen \u2013 there wasn\u2019t going to be physical altercation or anything like that \u2013 but there was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a minority of the crowd, it\u2019s not the majority. The majority of people here are true golf fans and are respectful, but I don\u2019t think we should ever accept that in golf.<\/p>\n
PA MediaMcIlroy\u2019s wife Erica Stoll was also caught up in crowd trouble at Bethpage. PA Media<\/p>\n
\u201cI think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cGolf teaches you very good life lessons, it teaches you etiquette, it teaches you how to play by the rules, it teaches you how to respect people.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes this week we didn\u2019t see that. So no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n
Footage emerged on social media on Sunday showing the incident where McIlroy\u2019s wife was hit by the beer. She was not hurt but looked shocked.<\/p>\n
Masters champion McIlroy said: \u201cErica is fine. She\u2019s a very, very strong woman. You know, she handled everything this week with class and poise and dignity like she always has.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love her and we\u2019re going to have a good time celebrating tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/4f740754486b71d20d3222f4a43fd00c-1759133399.jpg\")
PA MediaThe contest was played out in a hostile atmosphere. PA Media<\/p>\n
Shane Lowry, McIlroy\u2019s playing partner at the time, said: \u201cI was out there for two days with Erica and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing and the way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
McIlroy rose above the taunts to deliver three-and-a-half points across the foursomes and fourballs sessions but was unable to maintain his momentum as he was beaten by Scottie Scheffler on the 18th hole in the singles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I was running on empty,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ultimately it did not matter as Europe denied the US an unlikely comeback victory.<\/p>\n
McIlroy said: \u201cWe did what we needed to do and we are going to celebrate like there is no tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
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