Ryder Cup: USA captain Keegan Bradley unhappy with injury rule, Heather McMahan steps down after leading vulgar chant
Rory McIlroy tees off at the second hole during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Saturday. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
On Sunday morning, few expected the Ryder Cup to become competitive.
So when Norwegian Viktor Hovland (neck injury) withdrew from the day’s final singles match 36 minutes before the first one started, no one blinked an eye as each side was rewarded a half-point and Europe’s lead grew from 11 1⁄2 -4 1⁄2 to 12-5. Harris English was forced to sit because of the “envelope rule,” part of the captain’s agreement that requires each captain to put in a sealed envelope one player’s name who will not play in the case of an injury to a member of the other team.
But it turned out that Europe needed every point it could get as it withstood a fierce U.S. comeback in a 15-13 win at Bethpage Black.
The point from Hovland’s match technically did not matter (Europe needed only 14 points to retain the Ryder Cup), but captain Keegan Bradley did not mince any words when asked about the rule.
“It has to change,” he said.
What would he do?
“I have a few ideas but I’m not going to tell you right now,” he said. “I mean, the rule has to change. I think it’s obvious to eerybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”
Hovland was scratched from his four-ball match Saturday afternoon. He had an MRI Saturday night at a local hospital and was diagnosed with a disc bulge in his neck.
Luke Donald, who completed a second consecutive winning stint as Team Europe’s captain, had a different perspective on it, reflecting on history and defending the 28-year-old Hovland.
“I think it’s been in place since 1971,” Donald said. “The U.S. have used it before. I think it happened in 1991 with Steve Pate. That was a tight Ryder Cup, too, 14 1⁄2 - 13 1⁄2 . It happened in 1993; Sam Torrance couldn’t play with an injured toe. The U.S. won that one.
“We have contracts for a reason, a captains’ agreement for a reason, for situations that occur. I want to center it back to Viktor; I would have had absolute faith in him to deliver a point today. He couldn’t play. He was gutted.”
The Ryder Cup will be played at Adare Manor in Ireland in September 2027, leaving plenty of time between now and then for debate.
Emcee Heather McMahan controversy
The vicious fan behavior directed at Rory McIlroy defined much of Saturday at Bethpage Black.
Fans in the grandstand behind the first tee box started “(expletive) you, Rory” chants well before the Ryder Cup’s morning foursomes started.
Comedian and actress Heather McMahan, who was the master of the ceremonies of the first tee, attempted to lead cheers for both Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau when fans broke into the McIlroy chant.
She then repeated the “(expletive) you, Rory” chant into the microphone Saturday morning, which was ultimately her last at Bethpage. McMahan stepped down from her emcee role ahead of the competition’s final day Sunday.
“Heather McMahan has extended an apology to Rory Mcllroy and Ryder Cup Europe and has stepped down from hosting the first tee of the Ryder Cup,” the PGA of America, which runs the Ryder Cup on American soil, said in a statement to Newsday.
Vulgarities were showered on McIlroy all day Saturday, and they became personal during his afternoon four-ball match with Shane Lowry. Remarks that were made about his family and personal life crossed the line, an extra police presence followed the group and two fans were ejected.
“When you play an away Ryder Cup, it’s really, really challenging,” McIlroy said. “It’s not for me to say. People can be their own judge of whether they took it too far or not. I’m just proud of us for being able to win today with what we had to go through.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
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