The first-tee announcer for the Ryder Cup, who incited profane chants against Rory McIlroy, has issued a public apology and resigned from her position, as confirmed by the PGA of America.
During the event held at Bethpage Black in New York, McIlroy faced persistent heckling and jeers. In a notable incident during his morning foursomes match with Tommy Fleetwood, he responded to an unruly spectator with a blunt directive to “shut the f*** up.”
The raucous New York crowd made their feelings clear, shouting “f*** you Rory” as McIlroy approached the first tee. Announcer Heather McMahan further fueled the atmosphere by repeating the chant on her microphone, aggravating the situation among the already rowdy spectators.
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<span class="ui-media-caption__caption-text" data-role="caption-text" data-testid="sitewide-video-caption">McIlroy paused his putting as US fans shouted at him on the sixth green</span>
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</div>As the match progressed, McIlroy continued to endure a hostile atmosphere during Saturday’s fourballs session, prompting the PGA to enhance security measures to manage spectator behavior. Following this, McMahan announced her resignation from her first-tee duties ahead of the final day of play.
A statement issued by the PGA of America noted: “Heather McMahan has sincerely apologized to Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup Europe, and she has decided to step down from her role as first-tee announcer.”
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