The Saturday afternoon at Bethpage Black saw Team Europe gain a massive stronghold over the United States, driven by Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy’s solid performances. However, the Ryder Cup action was marred by an unwanted incident when home fans targeted McIlroy with a disrespectful act – one that even involved his wife, Erica. Although McIlroy chose to let his play do the talking, the experience brought back memories of another incident from the past. One where it wasn’t American fans, but an American tennis legend himself who went after the Irish golf star in the most brutal manner.

Anyone familiar with John McEnroe knows his blunt way of speaking his mind, regardless of the repercussions. Controversy seems to follow him whenever he comments on players. Remember how he has gone after 24-time Slam king Novak Djokovic lately? But it’s not just tennis pros who have been in his line of fire. Even Rory McIlroy has faced McEnroe’s biting remarks during one of the toughest periods of his career.

The story dates back to the US Open last September. McIlroy had decided to take time away from golf and attended the semifinal between American stars Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. Call it bad luck or not, McEnroe spotted him in the crowd while on commentary duty. Just as his co-commentator noted that McIlroy had clinched three of golf’s four majors, McEnroe wasted no time reminding viewers that the European’s last title had come a decade earlier. “It has been a long time!” he said as McIlroy was shown sipping a glass of wine. Mocking the golf star, he added, “Little bit of vino to ease the pain.”

For the uninitiated, McIlroy endured an inconsistent run from 2014 to 2025. Last year, he came close to completing his career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open, but Bryson DeChambeau bested him, extending the painful wait.

Fortunately, McIlroy did get his comeback moment in April this year. He won the title at Augusta to complete the career milestone, becoming only the sixth golfer in history to accomplish the feat. At last, McIlroy silenced his critics—and possibly McEnroe too. It seems unlikely the tennis legend will have another jab to throw at him going forward.

While McEnroe may not have a soft spot for the golf star, other tennis icons do. In fact, McIlroy has been a highly celebrated figure among modern-day ATP greats.

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic’s warm connection with Rory McIlroy

When it comes to tackling criticism and hostile crowds, Novak Djokovic knows how to shut down unwanted noise—much like Rory McIlroy. It only makes sense that the two share a friendship, rooted in their similar resilience.

When the Northern Irishman won the Augusta title, Djokovic was among those to congratulate him. On Instagram, the former World No.1 wrote, “Congratulations Rory McIlroy, incredible achievement,” adding, “Never stop dreaming.” Interestingly, McIlroy even vowed to take inspiration from Djokovic for this month’s Ryder Cup—especially in handling hecklers.

In a pre-event interview, McIlroy mentioned Djokovic, saying, “He’s been the best at handling that (abuse from spectators). He’s had to deal with it his whole life, whether it’s playing against an American in New York or playing against Roger (Federer) or Rafael (Nadal).” He decided to take “a leaf out of” the Serbian’s “book and channel that energy the right way.”

Then there’s his connection with six-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard recently won his second U.S. Open title in New York, defeating archrival Jannik Sinner in the final at Arthur Ashe. Beyond his dominant campaign, the “Murcian Maverick” also caught attention with his post-match celebrations, where he imitated McIlroy’s golf swing after every win—including the final.

Why? Well, Alcaraz is known to be an avid golf fan. Interestingly, McIlroy attended his first-round match at Flushing Meadows, where the two met for the first time. Later, the World No.1 admitted, “I have to say it. Yeah, I did it in the first round because Rory was there, and I think I own it.” That match sparked Alcaraz’s golf-themed celebrations, which he carried on until the very end of the tournament.