Rory McIlroy had to be restrained by team-mate Shane Lowry as tempers boiled over after a dramatic end to the second day’s play at the Ryder Cup in Rome.
The world number two became involved in a heated exchange with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava on the 18th green at Marco Simone and the arguments later continued in the car park.
Pictures emerged of McIlroy shouting and angrily pointing his finger at someone outside the clubhouse before being pulled away and pushed into a waiting car by Lowry.
Europe captain Luke Donald revealed McIlroy had felt a “line had been crossed” by LaCava as he celebrated Cantlay holing the lengthy putt that ultimately secured a vital fourballs point for the United States.
At the time, however, both McIlroy and playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick still had putts remaining that could have halved the match.
McIlroy thought LaCava had stepped across his line as he celebrated by waving his cap in jocular reference to Cantlay’s hatless appearance.
There had been reports throughout the day that Cantlay had not been wearing a team hat in protest at not being paid to play, something he denied.
McIlroy took exception to LaCava’s actions and a row broke out between the pair which the watching Lowry also became involved in.
Donald said: “Obviously I was on 18 and I saw it unfold. When Patrick made that putt, Joe was waving his hat – there was some hat-waving going on throughout the day from the crowd, not our players.
“I talked to Rory and he politely asked Joe to move aside as he was in his line of vision, he stood there and didn’t move for a while and continued to wave the hat and I think Rory was upset about that.
“Rory felt the line was crossed on the 18th green. He is a passionate player – we all are in this event – and I will speak to him later about it.”
After the match but prior to the car park incident, McIlroy said the matter would merely add motivation to his desire to succeed on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman said: “Obviously they had a great finish and Patrick made three great putts at the end to seal the deal, so hats off to them.
“They played a great match, yes, a few scenes there on 18 and just fuel for the fire tomorrow.”
Cantlay was also asked about what occurred beside the 18th green after the match but gave little information.
“He is the best,” he said of LaCava, who is better known for his previous work with Tiger Woods. “That is all there is to say.”
Donald was not aware of what later happened in the car park when he spoke to media after a day which his European side ended lead 10.5-5.5.
Donald said: “I will talk with Rory when I get back. I didn’t see the incident personally, I saw the one on 18.
“We always try to play with passion and energy but play with respect and that will certainly be my message to the players.”
US captain Zach Johnson said: “What I saw on 18 was a phenomenal putt and a celebration by some of our guys.
“I saw passion and all of what is great in the Ryder Cup come out, and to my knowledge, based on what I was told, that was defused after the match so I’m told it is all good. That’s really all I know.”
Emily Odwin helps SMU defend AAC Women’s Golf title; becomes first Barbadian golfer to win American Collegiate Conference Championship
Top Bajan female golfer, Emily Odwin, made history when she became the first Barbadian golfer to win an American Collegiate Conference Championship by helping the Southern Methodist University Mustangs win the American Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship from April 15-17 at the Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, Florida.
Odwin’s Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs staged a major come back from a tournament-low 12-under 276 to move up two spots.
They then overcome a nine-stroke deficit to secure the title, becoming only the second team to repeat as champions in the process.
Odwin, who is also the first Barbadian female to ever play NCAA Division One golf, had a five-under 211 to lead her team’s charge along with teammates Ellie Szerk and Mackenzie Lee. All three tied for fifth in the individual standings.
Odwin shot a three-under 33 on the back nine to shoot up the standings.
She joined the Mustangs after transferring from the University of Texas and has played for them in seven starts this season in which she had four top ten finishes.
Tiger Woods given special exemption to play in U.S. Open at Pinehurst
Tiger Woods will play in next month's U.S. Open at Pinehurst after accepting a special exemption.
The 15-time major winner had been set to miss out on competing in the event for the first time in his professional career after failing to qualify.
However, Woods – whose five-year exemption for winning the Masters in 2019 has expired – has been given a special invitation by organisers.
"The U.S. Open, our national championship, is a truly special event for our game and one that has helped define my career," Woods said.
"I'm honoured to receive this exemption and could not be more excited for the opportunity to compete in this year's U.S. Open, especially at Pinehurst, a venue that means so much to the game."
Woods, ranked 789th in the world, has played just two tournaments this year as he continues to struggle with a leg injury sustained in a car accident three years ago.
The 48-year-old finished 60th in last month's Masters after making the cut for a 24th successive time.
Woods is a three-time winner of the US Open, most recently doing so in 2008, with this year's event beginning on June 13.
Young golfers perform well at trials for Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship
Jamaica's young golfers recently completed their three-day trials at the Caymanas Golf Club where they performed well under challenging conditions.
The trials were geared towards selecting the team for this year's Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship which will also be held at the Caymanas Golf Club in early July of this year.
Trey Williams led the boys while Mattea Issa led the girls with outstanding performances. Williams was the only golfer to post an under-par score with a two-under-par 70 on the final day.
Williams faced six competitors in the Boys 18 and Under category. He posted eight over par 80, four over par 76 and two under par 70 for the three days respectively, for a combined total of 10 over par 226 which is his best placement in a local competition to date.
"I feel really good about it. After the first day I was down by a good amount but I just kept my cool. I knew that I can play this course well and for the next two days I just made sure I played conservative and I gave it my all and it worked out" said Williams.
He now looks forward to the championships.
"Seeing how the championship is at this very course and I know I can play well at this course I am going to continue to practice, make sure that my game is at the top that it can be and give it my all when the championship comes and make sure that I can do well."
Aman Dhiman was second with scores of 72, 84 and 78 for a total score of 18 over par 234 while Ryan Lue was two strokes back on 236 (76, 83, 77).
Issa, with scores of 81, 80 and 81 (242), said that the trials conditions were difficult.
"To set the scene, the layout of the course was very difficult. Where they put the pins and where they put the tee boxes, they made the course as hard as possible for us kids to challenge us and then also the conditions of the course like the wind and the condition of the grass and the bunkers. That wasn't in the best condition so obviously it was unpredictable where the ball might go at certain times and the speed of the greens and things like that so you have to take that in consideration before analyzing the scores and analyzing the weekend."
The other female competitor in the Girls 18 and Under category was Anoushka Katri. She scored 107, 99 and 94 for a three-day total of 300.
Results in the other age groups were: Boys 15 and U - Kemari Morris - 256 (89, 81, 86), Davion Hogan 263 (85, 94, 84) and Cameron Coe 273 (92, 92, 89); Boys 13 and U - Shasa Redlefsen 245 (83, 82, 80) and Girls 13 and U - Alessandra Coe 266 (92, 88, 86).
The team, when announced will under-go intense preparation by coach Jonathan Newnham who was himself a successful junior golfer, and coach Jason Lopez who has guided several junior teams to the CAJGC.
Newnham was pleased with what he saw at the trials. "I feel good that everybody had enough good signs this week and we have a few months to prepare. We obviously will know the course very well by the time the champs come around so I am excited for this group and I think it's fair to say that within most if not all the categories we have a chance to do well individually, which if we do well individually that bodes well for the team championship as well."
Lopez on the other hand was happy with the mix of players at the trials. "We have a nice new crop of guys and girls who are coming up. A lot of young players and exciting players and obviously developing players and you have some guys like Trey (Williams) who have been around for a while. I think overall the kids performed well. I think the conditions were tough which is always good to see the kids tested. Today was not an easier day because there was a lack of wind but we know that come the championship time in July it’s gonna be very windy so it's nice to see those conditions replicated. I think the kids handled it very well."
According to Alison Reid, the convener for junior golf, the trials is "almost like a test run for the actual event because this is the course they are gonna play in the event and this is pressure condition because they are each trying to make the team so it’s like a mini tournament. It really puts them under the same amount of pressure."
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