Rory McIlroy might be an exceptionally media-trained golfer, but when the Northern Irishman loses his cool, he doesn’t hold back. Many of those moments often create controversies. We have listed five of the most savage reactions of McIlroy that were caught on camera as we celebrate his 37th birthday.

Rory McIlroy scored birdies and flipped the bird at Bethpage

No, Rory McIlroy didn’t literally show the middle finger during the 2025 Ryder Cup. You’re thinking of Robert MacIntyre at Augusta National in 2026. But the Northern Irishman did tell off the fans for heckling during the second round at Bethpage. And his approach was quite aggressive.

He was lining up his approach shot on the 16th during his and Tommy Fleetwood’s Foursome match against Harris English and Collin Morikawa. But the crowd around him just couldn’t stop screaming and shouting, trying to distract him. So he had an appropriate response for them.

“Guys, shut the f**k up!” screamed McIlroy to make them go silent.

His approach worked, and so he was able to hit an excellent approach shot. He shot the ball 3 feet away from the cup, giving Fleetwood an easy putt. That’s probably the best way he could have flipped the bird at the American fans.

McIlroy’s hatred for LIV Golf is stronger than any relationship

Before 2022, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson shared quite a close friendship and enjoyed playing the Ryder Cup together. They represented Team Europe on multiple occasions and formed a strong bond over the years.

Even though they often competed with each other on the DP World Tour, everyone could see that they were good friends. In fact, after Stenson’s remarkable season in 2016, McIlroy also called him one of the most consistent players in the last decade. But all that changed in 2022.

Stenson’s move to LIV Golf sent shockwaves across the entire golf community. He had already been selected as the Team Europe Ryder Cup captain. His exit from the PGA Tour allowed the PGA of America to strip him of his position. And that gave McIlroy the perfect opportunity to throw a jab at him.

“The best thing to happen to the 2023 Euro Ryder Cup team was Henrik going to LIV!” McIlroy tweeted.

Their feud turned public and got bitter really quickly. They haven’t been seen together ever since.

The Northern Irishman took a gamble against Phil Mickelson

Everyone is aware of Phil Mickelson‘s infamous gambling addiction. And we just got off discussing how Rory McIlroy’s hate for LIV Golf destroyed one of his friendships. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the 30-time PGA Tour champion isn’t particularly fond of Lefty as well. So when he was asked to share his thoughts on Mickelson’s autobiography, McIlroy had a very unique response.

“At least he can bet on the Ryder Cup this year because he won’t be a part of it,” McIlroy told Golf Digest.

Mickelson had not been selected for the 2023 Ryder Cup team. So McIlroy teased that it was the only way he could be a part of the event. He wasn’t in the mood for making friends during that year, it seems.

McIlroy has no time to be Bryson DeChambeau’s best friend

Paired together in the final round of the 2025 Masters Tournament, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau were supposed to compete against each other for the Green Jacket. And while the Northern Irishman overcame the odds and claimed the title, the LIV Golf pro fell short by a mile. So at the end of it, he complained that McIlroy didn’t talk to him throughout the round.

Perplexed by the weird statement, McIlroy responded, “I don’t know what he was expecting. I mean, we’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try to be his best mate out there. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. That’s really all that it was. It wasn’t anything against him. I felt that’s what I needed to do to try to get the best out of myself that day.”

McIlroy’s approach in the final round helped him claim the Masters Tournament in 2025 and achieve his career Grand Slam. On the other hand, DeChambeau was left crying over spilled milk.

His war against the media

Following Rory McIlroy’s non-conforming driver scandal during the 2025 PGA Championship, the media made a huge deal out of every move he made on and off the fairway. Everything he did was scrutinized, and he was harshly put under the radar. So when he was allowed to speak his mind, McIlroy didn’t forget the treatment he received from the reporters. In fact, he reminded them of the status he had achieved in the sport.

“I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do, yeah,” McIlroy told the media at Oakmont Country Club.

The Northern Irishman clarified that he won’t just stand and take unfair criticism from the newsrooms. Especially when neither of his colleagues had a problem with what was going on. Even his biggest rival on the Tour, Scottie Scheffler, showed support for him and blamed the media for treating him unfairly.