Rory McIlroy showed true colours moments before heated Ryder Cup bust-up
Rory McIlroy had been calming down the raucous European crowd who were on the back of Patrick Cantlay moments before the Northern Irishman clashed with Cantlay's caddie, Joe LaCava at this year's Ryder Cup.
McIlroy helped guide Europe to a dominant 16.5-11.5 victory over their American rivals at Marco Simone in October, but in typical Ryder Cup fashion it was not without drama. Off the course, Team USA found themselves embroiled in controversy, after a Sky Sports report suggested Cantlay had led a 'split' within the locker room.
The report claimed that the American was unhappy with not being paid to compete at the Ryder Cup, and opted to not wear a cap whilst competing in protest.
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The news surrounding 'capgate' broke midway through day two, just before Cantlay was set to to take on McIlroy and and Matt Fitzpatrick alongside Wyndham Clark in the afternoon fourballs. On the back of the report Cantlay was taunted by the home crowd, who were humorously taking off their own headgear and waving it in the direction of the former FedEx Cup champion as he made his way around the course.
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Despite the atmopshere Cantlay held his nerve, holing an impressive winning putt on the 18th green to secure a much-needed point for Team USA heading into the final day. Keen to get their own back, Cantlay's U.S. teammates waved their caps in an ironic celebration, and was too joined by his caddie, LaCava.
LaCava soon overstepped the mark though, directing his celebration towards McIlroy, who still had a putt to tie the match, as did his partner Fitzpatrick. Both Europeans went on to miss, and the Northern Irishman made his feelings known in the aftermath.
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Rory McIlroy had called on the crowd to calm down whilst Patrick Cantlay was putting (Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)He exchanged heated words with LaCava, before clashing with Justin Thomas' caddie Jim 'Bones' Mackay moments later in the car park. Further details have now emerged about the clash, which will no doubt have made LaCava's celebration all the more frustrating for McIlroy.
According to his teammate Shane Lowry, McIlroy had been calling on the crowd to show a little more respect for Cantlay and co, before the caddie confronted him on the final hole. "On 16 and 17, Rory was trying to quiet the crowd down when Patrick was putting," Lowry told BBC Sport following McIlroy's Sports Personality of The Year nomination.
"Then Joe LaCava did to Rory what Rory was trying not to do them all day. That is what got him going, then it all got a bit a mad." McIlroy's nomination gives him the chance to become the first golfer to win the Sports Personality of The Year award since Sir Nick Faldo in 1989.
McIlroy had previously been nominated for the award in 2014, after he won two of the four majors at the PGA Championship and The Open that year. The Northern Irishman missed out though, coming second behind Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton.
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