Rory McIlroy has reflected on the “red mist” moment where he was filmed in a furious car park exchange at the end of the second day of the Ryder Cup, describing it as the “angriest I have ever been in my career”. McIlroy, who was enraged by the American caddie Joe LaCava at the conclusion of a fourball defeat to Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark, took inspiration from a Roman emperor before returning to the course to defeat Sam Burns in the Sunday singles.
LaCava, who caddies for Cantlay, had continued celebrations from the holing of a long putt by his employer as McIlroy was preparing to play. “On the 17th green and the 18th green, I am telling the crowd to quieten down to let Patrick hit his putts,” McIlroy explained. “I was trying to afford Patrick the opportunity to do what he did, which is great. And then I am trying to read my putt on 18 and he [LaCava] is standing directly in my way.
“I don’t feel like I was afforded the same opportunity to make a putt as Patrick was. I was trying to do the right thing and that was definitely the wrong thing to do. That is not the way this game should be played. Not by a player, caddie, anybody. I thought it was completely disrespectful. It’s the angriest I have been in a long time.”
“Walking off 18 was probably the angriest I have ever been in my career,” McIlroy added. “I said it to the US guys, I thought what went on was disgraceful. I made that clear.”
Shortly afterwards, McIlroy had to be restrained by Shane Lowry when seen gesticulating and shouting at Jim “Bones” Mackay, who caddies for Justin Thomas, in a car park. “Red mist more than anything else,” said McIlroy of that episode. “I was actually about to drop my bag and go into the American locker room because I was so angry but Shane kind of held me back from doing that. The first American I saw was Bones Mackay and I know he is close to Joe so I sort of let him have a mouthful.”
Before facing Burns, whom he defeated 3&1, McIlroy looked close to the Ryder Cup venue. “I needed to calm myself down because I could have let it bring me down the wrong path but I didn’t,” said the four-time major winner. “I made sure it focused me. I read a few quotes from the great Marcus Aurelius, the former Roman Emperor, this morning, so that put me in the right frame of mind. I also had some nice words of encouragement from my wife and I was ready to go. I am a big follower of stoicism so if anyone was going to get in my head it was going to be Marcus.
“I want to play for this European team for as long as I can. I realise I don’t have as many Ryder Cups as I did a few years ago so every time I put this blue and yellow jersey on, I want to make the most of it.”
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McIlroy said LaCava, a veteran bag man, had attempted to make peace but is yet to apologise in person. “He reached out last night but we haven’t met,” said McIlroy. “I would rather let this [Ryder Cup] get over and done with and handle it afterwards.”