The Ryder Cup, which took place in September in Farmingdale, New York, once again witnessed Team USA and Team Europe clash. Unfortunately, swearing, booing, and spitting were realities the European golfers had to face. Slurs and insults aimed at players’ wives led to questions about the crowd’s behavior, and at one point, Rory McIlroy’s wife was hit with a beer can.

Naturally, the environment was hazardous for the European players. But it didn’t take much time for a video of McIlroy’s alleged confession about the situation to go viral. “I will never participate in tournaments held in the United States again,” he was heard saying. “I can accept people insulting me, but I cannot accept them hitting my wife on the head with a drink bottle. I can also accept them saying I don’t deserve to win, but I cannot accept them insulting our European team.”

Except it was a fake video. ‘Rick Golf’s’, who is a golfer himself, took to X to share the same. “Guys, you have no idea how oblivious the masses on Instagram are. Hundreds of thousands believe this video,” he wrote, and further issued a warning. “I feel for the elderly ones, but many are just normal, everyday people who just believe everything they see on social media. It’s insane. AI is going to wreck the world if this stuff is allowed to spread.

“This is golf, unimportant. But having computers producing endless fake content is a frightening future.”

There are no credible reports that suggest McIlroy said the quotes attributed in the video, which was posted by @tysonomomedia on Instagram. The video was also uploaded on TikTok and several other social media sites.

The golfer did speak about the fans’ behavior being unacceptable and abusive during the 2025 Ryder Cup final, but he did not state that he wouldn’t participate in tournaments on U.S. soil.

The video was generated by AI.

As reported by ‘Snopes’, a fact-checking website, the footage the fake video used was from 2020, and the voice was likely AI-generated. They also opined that the golfer’s mouth movement and appearance were changed by AI. The golfer’s accent and mannerisms also looked different, plus the smooth texture of the video suggested that several changes were made to fabricate a story out of nothing. Hence, they rated the clip as fake.

But the damage is already done.

Several fans believed the clip to be true and criticized McIlroy for something he didn’t say.

Golf fans got blindsided by the Europe-USA rivalry!

The incident highlights golf’s growing problem with digital abuse and fan toxicity. Players like Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm have also spoken about online harassment and the lack of accountability among fans. With AI fueling misinformation, golf’s calm image is being tested like never before.

USA golf fans who believed the fake video wrote:

• “Typical Rory. Always blaming someone else. Just stay in Europe if you hate it here so much.”
• “He has become a malcontent and a whiner. I couldn’t give two craps if Rory is in a tournament that I watch. Scottie is the better golfer and much easier to support.”

Rory McIlroy has stayed silent on the viral deepfake, letting his game speak instead. Instead, golf journalists and fan pages quickly called it out as fake, urging platforms to act.

McIlroy’s silence shows the frustration and fatigue athletes face in today’s AI-driven world. He joins stars like LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have all been victims of AI-generated fabrications. As deepfakes spread rapidly, athletes remain easy targets while platforms struggle to respond.

• “Does he think we really give a sh–. What a pompous a–.”

Bethpage Black proved to be a pressure cooker during the 2025 Ryder Cup, with this year’s US fans being the most hostile and rowdy crowd in the history of Ryder Cups. Officials even ignored the American hecklers’ misbehavior toward European players; “almost went unnoticed” is what Robert MacIntyre pointed out.

All that being said, while McIlroy was further criticized after the fake video went viral, some also supported him.

• “Nobody should have to go through what you and your family had to listen to. It’s only a game.”
• “I take my hat off to you, Rory! You played with dignity and respect, which the USA team lacks in huge numbers.“

At one point during the contest, Rory McIlroy was forced to remove a spectator from the stands due to the amount of abuse the fan was throwing at him mid-play. Europe Team Captain Luke Donald appreciated McIlroy’s approach as it helped him maintain composure while taking care of rowdy fans and hecklers without escalating the situation. 

The aggressive crowd behavior at Bethpage wasn’t limited to isolated incidents. Many players and critics debated whether the rowdy etiquette of U.S. spectators had gone too far at this Ryder Cup, given the sheer amount of pressure the European players had on them.

In the end, the tense atmosphere, Europe’s win, and frustrated U.S. fans all contributed to the video’s rapid spread, illustrating how real-life tensions can inadvertently lend false stories unnecessary attention. Rory McIlroy has not talked about the fake video yet.