A longtime golf announcer has chosen to quit and retire after the “disgraceful” crowd antics at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The 2025 Ryder Cup was hosted by Bethpage Black in New York. The crowd was rowdy, to say the least. Rory McIlroy, one of the top players for Europe, blasted it as the worst he’s ever experirenced.
Advertisement
“Oh, by far [the worst crowd I’ve ever experienced],” McIlroy said during an appearance on”The Overlap” podcast with former Premier League footballers Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane.
“In 2016 we played the Ryder Cup in Minnesota, and I thought that was bad. But I compare this year to 2016, and 2016 was nothing compared to some of the stuff we heard.
“We knew going to New York that we were going to get a lot of stick, a lot of abuse. For six months right before the competition, everyone was saying it’s going to be hostile.
Advertisement
“I didn’t [think it would be as hostile as it was]. Look, I don’t care if people are saying whatever they’re saying to me, even the first tee announcers shouting: ‘(expletive) you, Rory,’ which is nothing compared to the other stuff we heard.”
Sep 27, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Fans on the 11th hole on the penultimate day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images© Peter Casey-Imagn Images
(© Peter Casey-Imagn Images)
Ewen Murray, a longtime golf commentator for Sky Sports, is choosing to step away, in part, due to the hostile Ryder Cup crowd.
The longtime golf announcer, during a recent episode of the Sliced podcast, revealed his plans to retire, pointing to the “disgraceful” scenes at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Advertisement
“I heard stuff in that half hour I was there that I can’t repeat to you. It’s that bad. [The comments were not] fired at Rory but at Rory’s family and I walked back and I thought, ‘do you really need to be part of this anymore?’” Murray said, per GolfMagic. “And that’s when I decided to finish commentary. By the time I got on the plane on the Monday, I looked over New York and thought it’s been a fantastic journey but if that’s our future, I really don’t want any part of it.”
Murray was deeply fed up, especially with the screaming from comedian Heather McMahan.
“I thought her performance was disgraceful,” he said.
Advertisement
Murray still has a passion for broadcasting, though.
“As long as I’m still okay upstairs and still happy to do the preparation, the homework, the research … If I’m still able and happy to do that I may continue. But that’s the plan at the moment.”
This story was originally published by The Spun on Mar 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.