When you step on the rival country’s course as the best golfer from the opposing side, prepare to be hurled with hatred that’s never been seen before. The New York crowd had been so far tipping their toes between what’s acceptable and what’s not. But after an almost physical violation, and now the jabs at Rory McIlroy‘s personal life, it seems like all hell has been set loose.

In a video shared by NUCLR GOLF, the crowd is heard screaming, “Amanda Amanda” as McIlroy tries to putt a hole. As the voices get louder, sadistically in a symphony, McIlroy missed the putt, which otherwise would have been easy for the world No. 2. “🚨😲 “Amanda! Amanda!” 🗣️ New York fans continue to taunt Rory McIlroy on Sunday at Bethpage. Does this cross the line?” says the caption of the video.

And these were just a string of sneers added from the previous day as well, when McIlroy was attacked with deeply personal questions on the course. As he prepared to tee off with Shane Lowry, one person yelled and asked, “How’s your divorce going?” Adding on to this, another chimed in, “Your ex is looking for you.”

For anyone who’s been following the sport, they would know the reference to the ‘Amanda’ comment. Last year, there was a brief rumor that McIlroy had been having a romantic link-up with CBS Reporter Amanda Balionis, amidst his ongoing rift with wife Erica Stoll. It all started back in late April, when Balionis finalized her own divorce with ex-husband Bryn Renner. 

Not much was said about the divorce, but then the gossip took force when certain intrusive fans raised eyebrows on certain videos which captured McIlroy and Balionis. Balionis is often on the course, reporting significant events from the PGA Tour. Although, she has been absent from this year’s Ryder Cup due to her prior commitments with CBS and the NFL.

Over the next course of a month, the rumors accelerated when McIlroy filed for his divorce from Erica, citing that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.” Social media was abuzz with speculations, with one particular account alleging that it had evidence of an affair between McIlroy and Balionis.

Nonetheless, in June, McIlroy and his team announced that the couple had dismissed their divorce petition and had filed for a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal in Florida. McIlroy, later, in a statement, said, “There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is a fool’s game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”

Through it all, neither Balionis nor McIlroy ever confirmed or denied their alleged linkups.

But the ghost of the incident does not seem to be leaving McIlroy anytime soon. After the end of the tournament, it can be fairly said that he was the most attacked player on Bethpage Black. Moreover, McIlroy isn’t too unfamiliar with getting heckled by fans in the name of his romantic affiliations or rumors. Even during the 2023 Ryder Cup, people from the crowd didn’t hesitate to make comments regarding his ex, Caroline Wozniacki, whom he was engaged to in 2013.

Regardless, he is a talisman for Europe, carrying a lot of responsibility, which he very succinctly delivered.

Combining his Friday and Saturday performances, McIlroy secured 3.5 out of a possible 4 points in his team sessions. After several of his wins, he could be seen flipping the bird or pointing at the crowd and mouthing “F*** you!” His amped response likely occurred after his constant bullying, and also when, in a clear violation of physicality, somebody threw a beer bottle at him and reportedly, also at his wife.

“I don’t mind them having a go at us, that’s to be expected. In between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just give us the respect to let us hit shots and give us the same chance that the Americans have,” McIlroy later said in a statement.

Meanwhile, others also jumped in to give their opinion on McIlroy’s heckling.

No sympathy for Rory McIlroy?

While following the news, one might think that Rory McIlroy has been unfairly treated on the course, but not many people might agree with it. MLB Hall of Famer Chipper Jones said that McIlroy should have been prepared to deal with such hostilities, going as far as to say that he shouldn’t have brought his family to the event.

“I played in NY 12-15 times every year for 20 years and multiple times in the postseason. AT NO TIME in 2 decades was my family EVER allowed to go to a game in NY. What do you expect to happen? Is it right? No! But when you are public enemy #1… expect to be treated harshly,” he wrote on X. It should be noted that not just McIlroy, but the entire European team had been preparing for the heckling situation for a month by practicing with VR Headsets that carried the noise from the New York crowd.

At the same time, US Captain Keegan Bradley said that the crowd’s behaviour was largely due to “passion” for the game, and because they were upset with their team’s underwhelming performance. And in a dramatic turn of events, he expressed how the crowd had been “pretty good” as per him. This statement came the same day after his own team players had to step in to defend McIlroy and Shane Lowry.

Social media too was abuzz with such rhetoric, stating how McIlroy deserved such antics due to his own behaviour the previous day. Apart from giving back to the crowd, in a viral video, McIlroy was seen sitting down on the crowd, refusing to play until the chanting against him stopped.

In a few hours, New York will get a new Ryder Cup champion. And although the results are pretty much in Europe’s favor, this Ryder Cup will definitely go down as one of the most brutal ones.