The PGA Tour ace’s father has snubbed the tournament this weekend after being left disgusted by certain incidents in the past, including an infamous one involving Rory McIlroy
Ryder Cup star Xander Schauffele’s father, Stefan, will snub the tournament this weekend after being left appalled by Rory McIlroy’s conduct last time out.
The eagerly-anticipated Ryder Cup kicks off on Friday at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, New York. Representing Team USA at the biennial tournament is two-time major champion and PGA Tour ace Schauffele.
The Californian will pair up with Patrick Cantlay for Friday morning’s foursome clash with Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland of Team Europe.
The action promises to be enthralling as the Ryder Cup returns to American soil after Team Europe claimed a thrilling 16.5-11.5 victory at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, during the previous edition in 2023.
But Stefan, aged 60, voiced concerns in July that the Ryder Cup has become increasingly toxic, leading to his decision not to attend in September to cheer on his son.
The German-born maverick, who has served as Xander’s coach throughout much of his career, told The Times: “Do I miss the PGA Tour? No. I’m not going to the Ryder Cup either.
“I’m afraid of what’s going to happen in New York. I was there [at Whistling Straits] when they called Shane Lowry’s wife a w**** in front of him. I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Then I saw what happened in Rome. That was utterly disgusting claiming this money bull***t and Rory [McIlroy] behaved disgustingly in my opinion [when he confronted Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava].
“It’s only going to get worse. It’s ruined my appetite for the Ryder Cup. It becomes unwatchable.”
Recently-crowned career Grand Slam winner McIlroy had a fiery confrontation with LaCava two years ago following Cantlay’s successful putt on the 18th hole in Rome. LaCava waved his hat at the crowd to celebrate following rumours that Cantlay had played without a hat in protest of players not getting paid for the Ryder Cup.
But the Northern Irishman took exception to LaCava’s boisterous behaviour, feeling it disrupted his putting preparation. Some fiery words were exchanged between the pair on the green before McIlroy confronted Justin Thomas’ caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, in the parking lot.
The incidents left a bitter taste in the mouth and somewhat overshadowed Europe’s dominant victory over America. And that kind of raucous behaviour has extended to fans too.
In 2021, Team Europe star Lowry’s wife, Wendy, faced verbal abuse from opposing fans following Team USA’s 19-9 victory. Reflecting on the tournament afterwards, the Irishman explained that the majority of the Wisconsin crowd were welcoming, but a “small percentage” of fans across the first two days had crossed the line.
He went on to add: “I thought I got on well with the crowd last week as best I could. But they are obviously a home crowd and they are going to be a partisan crowd. Some of the stuff is not very nice, but that’s just the way it is.
“Some people are idiots, especially when they drink. Nobody turns into a genius drinking, and that’s what they were doing last week. Especially if you were out in the afternoon matches, it was loud.”
At Hazeltine in 2016, McIlroy was reportedly subjected to crude taunts and continuously serenaded with “Sweet Caroline” by spectators following his recent break up with tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki.
Stefan’s son, however, will be fully focused on helping Team USA secure a third successive win on home soil. The duo of Schauffele and Cantlay has already played four matches together: two at Whistling Straits in 2021 and two at Marco Simone, going 2-2-0 as partners.
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