Rory McIlroy delivers three-word response as golfer breaks his silence over angry altercation that saw him steal a fan’s phone after being heckled

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Rory McIlroy delivers three-word response as golfer breaks his silence over angry altercation that saw him steal a fan’s phone after being heckled


Rory McIlroy was in no mood to talk about his angry outburst at a fan when he spoke to the media after his opening round at The Players Championship on Thursday.

McIlroy shot an impressive 67 to leave him five under par but still faced questions about an incident that had occurred on Tuesday during a practice round.

The 35-year-old stole a fan’s phone in a furious response to their heckling on Tuesday.

McIlroy was playing a practice round at Florida‘s TPC Sawgrass when he sent a tee shot into the water on the 18th.

In response to his poor shot, one fan yelled out ‘just like 2011 at Augusta’, mocking McIlroy for his infamous Masters meltdown more than a decade ago.

Once McIlroy had returned to the tee box and hit his second shot, he walked over to the fan with the club still in his hand and asked to see their phone.

Rory McIlroy delivers three-word response as golfer breaks his silence over angry altercation that saw him steal a fan’s phone after being heckled

Rory McIlroy spoke to the media on Thursday after carding a first-round 67 at TPC Sawgrass

McIlroy stole a fan's phone earlier in the week after being heckled during a practice round

This happened near the 18th hole after McIlroy was mocked for a bad shot

McIlroy stole a fan’s phone earlier in the week after being heckled during a practice round

Twenty-year-old University of Texas golfer Luke Potter was the fan who heckled McIlroy, 35

Twenty-year-old University of Texas golfer Luke Potter was the fan who heckled McIlroy, 35

McIlroy took the phone out of the fan’s hand, looked through it and then walked away with it still in his possession.

The phone was eventually returned to the fan, who was ejected from the venue.

It later emerged that the heckling fan had been 20-year-old college golfer Luke Potter from the University of Texas, who was in Florida for the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational.

At McIlroy’s press conference on Thursday, one reporter asked: ‘Rory, can I ask you about the shenanigans with that kid on 17 in practice?’

‘No, you can’t,’ McIlroy replied before smiling.’ After the reporter asked why he couldn’t ask that question, McIlroy added: ‘Because I don’t want you to.’

Both McIlroy and the reporter laughed before the reporter defied the Northern Irishman by asking a follow-up question on the same subject.

‘The whole thing I think was made stranger by the fact it wasn’t a civilian, that it was a player,’ the journalist said. ‘Is that surprising? Did you know that? And did you learn that later? And did it surprise you when you learned it?’

Completely avoiding the matter, McIlroy answered: ‘I’m really happy that I shot 67 today.’

McIlroy smiled during the press conference but refused to talk about the incident with Potter

McIlroy smiled during the press conference but refused to talk about the incident with Potter

Potter (left) and his Texas team-mates were in Florida for the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational

Potter (left) and his Texas team-mates were in Florida for the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational

Five times McIlroy ‘blew up’ at fans 

By Luke Power 

1) At the BMW Championship in 2022, a fan in the gallery mucked about by sending a remote-controlled golf ball onto the green.

It’s safe to say McIlroy wasn’t impressed. Having already batted away the deviant ball several times, McIlroy lost his temper when he threw it into the nearby pond, drawing cheers from the crowd. 

2) McIlroy rushed to the defence of long-serving caddie Harry Diamond in February when a fan suggested he bin him off. 

After missing a 10-foot putt at the Genesis Invitational, one spectator blamed Diamond. McIlroy’s reported retort? ‘Shut the f*** up’.

3) Be careful of coughing around the Northern Irishman – it might just get you thrown out.

That was the fate of an unfortunate cougher at the 2014 British Open. After coughing during McIlroy’s final back swing, the golf star identified the fan for security and had them escourted out, before going on to win. See you later. 

4) Another foul-mouthed outburst here. At the 2018 Ryder Cup, one bystander had the audacity to suggest that the four-time major champion can’t putt – and was on the receiving end of a biting rejoinder.

‘I can’t putt?!’ he screamed. ‘F*****g come on!’ Maybe the fan had a point – his form on the green was questionable – but there’s a time and a place. 

5) A feel-good one to end on. At the 2016 Ryder Cup, McIlroy and Andy Sullivan couldn’t hole a 12-foot putt in practice. 

Heckler David Johnson said he could do better, to which McIlroy effectively said: Go on, then. Henrik Stenson invited him up. And, in an epic flourish, Johnson sank the putt and was rewarded $100 by Justin Rose. Way to go.  



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