05 October 2023 , 21:52
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Ashley Perez, the wife of LIV Golf star Pat Perez, has taken aim at Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman clashed with members of the United States Ryder Cup team in Rome last week.
McIlroy has been one of LIV Golf's biggest critics, and it appears Perez's partner Ashley shares a similar feeling towards the Northern Irishman. Taking to Instagram, she brutally wrote: "I can’t possibly be the only one that would absolutely love to watch Rory get punched in the face.
“I mean that in the nicest way possible… kinda.” Perez's comments came after McIlroy was involved in an altercation with the caddies of Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas at Marco Simone last Saturday.
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The four-time major champion was partnered with Matt Fitzpatrick against Cantlay and Wyndham Clark during day two of the Ryder Cup. It was the Americans who prevailed in the fourball clash, after Cantlay holed a remarkable birdie putt on the 18th green.
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Cantlay was a man who found himself at the centre of controversy whilst in Rome, after reports the American had caused a 'split' within the Team USA camp. Sky Sports claimed that the former FedEx Cup champion was unhappy with players not being paid, and in protest opted to not wear a cap.
Ironically, the whole U.S. team celebrated Cantlay's winning putt by taking off their caps and waving them in the air. One man who joined in was his caddie Joe LaCava, but the bag-man appeared to take his celebrations one step too far after directing his celebrations in the direction of McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy confronted Joe LaCavaThe Northern Irishman still had his own putt for birdie, and told LaCava to step back, a command the American appeared to ignore. The pair then appeared to exchange heated words following the caddie's behaviour, with McIlroy's teammate Shane Lowry involved.
Afterwards, tempers flared as McIlroy was seen confronting a second U.S. caddie in Jim Mackay in the Marco Simone car park. Once again Lowry found himself involved, pulling his teammate away, before the four-time major champion was ushered into the car.
McIlroy was able to use his frustrations as motivation the day after though, as he helped Europe win their seventh-straight home Ryder Cup, winning his Sunday singles match against American star Sam Burns.