PGA

Rory McIlroy hadn’t even left the practice range last Friday morning when a small section of fans at the Ryder Cup started a profane chant aimed at his image on a video screen at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.

The verbal abuse and other inappropriate behavior directed toward McIlroy and his European teammates worsened as the weekend went on. At one point Saturday a cup of beer sailed out of the crowd and hit the brim of a hat worn by McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, who was walking next to her husband.

The poor treatment didn’t prevent Team Europe from claiming a 15-13 win over the U.S. Afterward, McIlroy told reporters, “What happened here this week is not acceptable” and “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than than what was was seen out there this week.”

Derek Sprague, chief executive of PGA of America, told the Athletic this week that he had apologized to McIlroy and Stoll in an email.

Comedian Heather McMahan, who served as a morning emcee on the first two days of the Ryder Cup, also apologized this week for participating in a profane chant toward McIlroy.

And on Thursday — several days after he had seemingly trivialized the boorish fan behavior at the Ryder Cup by likening it to that of attendees at youth soccer games — PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. finally apologized in an email to the organization’s 30,000-plus members.

PGA of America president Don Rea Jr. speaks during a news conference at the PGA Championship in May.

(Matt York / Associated Press)

“Let me begin with what we must own. While the competition was spirited — especially with the U.S. team’s rally on Sunday afternoon — some fan behavior clearly crossed the line,” Rea wrote in the email, which was viewed by the Associated Press. “It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA of America or as PGA of America golf professionals. We condemn that behavior unequivocally.”

It was a different tone from the one Rea took Sunday when the BBC asked him about the unruly behavior of fans.

“Well, you’ve got 50,000 people here that are really excited, and heck, you could go to a youth soccer game and get some people who say the wrong things,” Rea said. “We tell the fans, booing at somebody doesn’t make them play worse. Typically, it makes them play better. And when our American players have to control the crowds, that distracts them from playing. So our message today to everybody who’s out here is, cheer on the Americans like never before, because that’ll always get them to play better and get them out of crowd control and let them perform.”

Asked specifically about the verbal abuse directed toward McIlroy, Rea said: “You know, it happens when we’re over in Rome on the other side. And Rory understands. I thought he handled the press conference just amazingly. But yeah, things like that are going to happen. And I don’t know what was said, but all I know is golf is the engine of good.”

Sprague, who took over as PGA of America’s chief executive in January, told the Athletic on Wednesday that he had apologized to McIlroy’s manager that morning and asked him to pass along a message to the five-time major champion and his wife.

“I sent a long email to share with Rory and Erica and just told him that we will do better in the future,” Sprague said. “I’m the CEO now. I don’t condone this type of behavior. This is not good for the game of golf. It’s not good for the Ryder Cup. It’s not good for any of the professional athletes, and we will do better.”

Heather McMahan arrives at the 76th Emmy Awards on Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater.

(Jae C. Hong / Invision / Associated Press)

In video footage from the first tee Saturday morning, McMahan appeared to be taking part in a profane chant aimed at McIlroy. That night, the PGA of America released a statement saying McMahan had apologized to McIlroy and Team Europe and had stepped down from her first-tee hosting duties.

McMahan addressed the situation Wednesday on her “Absolutely Not” podcast, saying she did not start the chant, as some outlets have reported, and said it only once before realizing it wasn’t something she wanted to take part in.

“I will take full responsibility and sincerely apologize to Rory, Team Europe for saying that,” McMahan said. “It was so foolish of me. I did not start the chant. I would just like that narrative to get out there. I did not start it, but any way that I had participated in that, even just saying it once, was so foolish and silly of me.

“And as soon as it came out and they started chanting, I was just like, ‘Oh, the energy just shifted.’ It went from us trying to be fun and funny … to immediately just was negative and felt really kind of toxic. So as soon as I said that I was like, ‘I don’t want any part of this.’”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

McIlroy described the abuse as “unacceptable” and said it should be “off-limits”.

Sprague says he plans on apologising to McIlroy and his family.

“I haven’t spoken to Rory or Erica [McIlroy] but I do plan on sending them an email with my heartfelt apologies because of what occurred,” he said.

McIlroy suffered lengthy abuse before eventually snapping by swearing at a spectator that called out while he was addressing the ball.

“I chirped back because it got to me a few times, but we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise, and for the most part, I felt like we did that,” said McIlroy.

“It was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance.”

The PGA Tour’s season-opening event The Sentry is to be moved because drought conditions in Hawaii have made the host course unplayable.

The event usually takes place in January at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on the Island of Maui.

However, drought conditions in the region mean water conservation measures have been imposed, including at Kapalua.

Tour officials visited the site this month and said the course was “significantly compromised” and would not be in playable condition by January, even if restrictions are lifted in the coming months.

“We support the PGA Tour’s decision, given the drought conditions Maui is facing,” said Hawaii governor Josh Green. “Protecting our water and supporting our communities come first.”

The Sentry, which relocated from California to Maui in 1999, was the PGA Tour’s season opener between 1986 and 2013 before returning to that slot in 2024, when the Tour switched back to a calendar-year schedule.

As the first signature event of the season, the field features the top 50 players from the previous year’s FedExCup standings, as well as winners of PGA Tour events from the previous year.

A RYDER CUP star was dumped out of the BMW PGA Championship after three rounds – following a rarely-seen SECOND CUT.

All 12 Team Europe players plus captain Luke Donald teed it up at Wentworth this week in the last big event before they fly to New York to face the USA.

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But DP World Tour chiefs were forced into an unusual rule change.

A whopping 86 made it through the regular cut at the mid-way point after 36 holes on Friday evening – with 26 players tied on two-under-par.

However, a secondary cut can be introduced by the Tournament Director after the third round on Saturday to reduce the field for the final day if more than 84 make it to the weekend.

The secondary cut is designed to ensure the maximum number of players on Sunday is 78.

This was the first time the little-known rule was implemented on the DP World Tour since the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in 2023.

That ensures the leaders can go out at 11.10am on Sunday – allowing enough time for a possible play-off and to stick to TV schedules.

However, it was bad news for Robert MacIntyre.

The fiery Scot – who slammed his driver into the ground after a wayward tee shot on the sixth hole – missed out on a tee time for Sunday’s final round as one of the unlucky 13 to miss the additional cut.

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His level-par 72 kept him at -2 and sent him packing alongside Alex Fitzpatrick and Niklas Norgaard among others.

But unlike the regular cut, the 13 golfers ditched after Saturday are still entitled to both ranking points in the Race To Dubai and prize money from Wentworth.

Tommy Fleetwood, fresh from his maiden PGA Tour win, just scraped through to Sunday on -3 with Rory McIlroy two shots better off.

Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry are all at -7 with Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick on -10.

But MacIntyre’s European team-mates Viktor Hovland (-12) and Tyrrell Hatton (-13) will be hoping to chase down the leaders Alex Noren and Adrien Saddier on -15.

Ironically, Noren is a vice-captain for Donald at Bethpage Black in two weeks’ time.

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Ryder Cup line ups

Here are the players who will be competing in the Ryder Cup…

Team Europe

• Luke Donald (C)
• Shane Lowry
• Jon Rahm
• Sepp Straka
• Viktor Hovland
• Ludvig Aberg
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Rory McIlroy
• Robert MacIntyre
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Justin Rose
• Rasmus Hojgaard
• Tyrrell Hatton

Team USA

• Keegan Bradley (C)
• Justin Thomas
• Collin Morikawa
• Ben Griffin
• Cameron Young
• Patrick Cantley
• Sam Burns
• Scottie Scheffler
• JJ Spaun
• Xander Schauffele
• Russell Henley
• Harris English
• Bryson DeChambeau

American Ben Griffin warmed up for the Ryder Cup by moving into a three-shot lead at the end of the second round of the Procore Championship.

Griffin, who is part of a 12-strong United States team to play the Ryder Cup from 26-28 September in New York, shot a second round 66 in Napa, California.

The 29-year-old sank six birdies without dropping a shot as he moved to 14 under.

“I’ve been pretty focused on this golf tournament,” said Griffin, who was a captain’s pick by US Ryder Cup skipper Keegan Bradley and will be making his debut in the event.

“Without a doubt, off the golf course hanging out with the guys and stuff, there’s been some Ryder Cup presence. But once I get on the first tee, I’m thinking I’m trying to play well here.

“This week I’m trying to literally do the same stuff I’m doing. I’m trying to stay confident, stay motivated and keep the pedal down.”

“The more times you get it wrong or it doesn’t happen for you, you start to not fear it,” Fleetwood said of his chances of winning after narrowly missing out on victory at the St Jude Championship and Travelers Championship earlier this season.

“Experience is something you can’t practise. It’s all to play for and an amazing opportunity.

“Everybody competing this week wanted to be in that final pair on Sunday and I’m one of those guys. Hopefully I am stood on the 18th green with the trophy.”

And on a leaderboard stacked with great potential storylines, US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is on 13 under after shooting the low round of the day, a seven-under 63 at East Lake in Atlanta.

Bradley, who is currently 11th on the US ranking list, has already said he faces “the decision of his life” as he contemplates naming himself as one of his six picks to complete the 12-strong US team for next month’s contest against Europe at Bethpage Black in New York.

Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain on a Ryder Cup team in 1963 when the contest was not the behemoth it has become.

That call will be made public on Wednesday, 27 August and Cantlay must be in Bradley’s reckoning too.

Cantlay was fifth in the world heading into the 2023 Ryder Cup, where he became something of a pantomime villain over his decision to not wear a cap. Since then, he has steadily fallen down the rankings to 23rd.

And he has missed out on automatic qualification for the Ryder Cup, meaning he needs a captain’s pick from Bradley to make his third successive US team.

The 33-year-old, who won the Tour Championship in 2021, closed with a hat-trick of birdies to cap an impressive bogey-free 64.

“I feel like I’m striking it well and in control of my golf ball,” he said.

“I’m exactly where I want to be going into Sunday and I’ll keep sticking to my process.”

The leaders will also have an eye on world number one Scottie Scheffler, who is lurking on 12 under after a 66.

Scheffler opened with successive bogeys but five birdies in his next eight holes lifted him to 11 under.

However, he missed several other short birdie putts and after a wayward eight-foot attempt on the 16th, he angrily threw his putter at his bag as his frustrations boiled over.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre looked to be surging into contention when he reached 11 under with a birdie on the 10th but he too double-bogeyed the 15th after hitting his tee shot into water as he posted a 72 to end on eight under.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy briefly flickered, getting to nine under with a birdie on the 13th but a poor finish with successive bogeys saw him end on six under overall.

Both of those players have secured their Ryder Cup spots but several European players will be looking to give their captain Luke Donald a timely reminder of their quality on Sunday.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who looks likely to be knocked out of the final qualifying spot for the European Ryder Cup team by Rasmus Hojgaard at the British Masters, is the highest placed of those at nine under par.

Lowry cannot improve his ranking at the Tour Championship, while Hojgaard, who is 14th at the Belfry heading into the final round, needs to be in the top 29 to nick that final automatic spot.

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland of Norway are at five and four under respectively and require Donald to give them the nod.

The same goes for Sepp Straka, who is set to finish eighth, above Aberg and Hovland in the qualification standings. The Austrian has won twice on the PGA Tour this year, but has had a poor week in Atlanta and is bottom of the 30-man field on six over par.

You can follow the final round of the Tour Championship via BBC Sport’s live text page from 18:30 BST on Sunday.

“I never really thought I’d be that emotional about it. I wasn’t going to let it get away from me today.”

Young, who led by five shots after the third round, bogeyed the opening hole but birdied the next five and could afford to drop shots on the 16th and 17th.

He is the 1,000th winner on the PGA Tour.

Young said he would “love the chance to play” in the Ryder Cup against Europe in New York in September.

“That team is the goal for many of us,” he said.

The Wyndham Championship is the final tournament of the PGA Tour’s regular season.

The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualify for the opening play-off event, the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, starting on Thursday. German Matti Schmid claimed the last spot.

FRISCO, Texas — Minjee Lee closed with a two-over 74 but never gave up the lead Sunday in the final round of the Women’s PGA Championship to win her third major title.

While Lee had three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the front nine, she had started the day with a four-stroke lead over Jeeno Thitikul. And the world’s No. 2-ranked player, also in that final group, bogeyed both par fives that are among the first three holes on Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco.

Lee, ranked 24th, finished at four-under 284, three strokes ahead of Auston Kim and Chanettee Wannasaen, the only other players under par.

“A lot of patience out there today. Obviously, I had ups and downs today,” Lee said. “It’s a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week, not just today. Just amplified because it’s major Sunday.”

Kim and Wannasaen both shot 68 to match the best rounds of the day, and the tournament, after only two 68s combined the first three rounds. Kim was bogey-free, but had only pars after three consecutive birdies to wrap up her front nine.

With a record $12 million purse that was up from $10.4 million a year ago and matched the U.S. Women’s Open for the most price money, Lee took home $1.8 million. That matches the $1.8 million Lee got for her four-stroke win in the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.

The 29-year-old Australian who is a Texas resident, living in nearby Irving, got her 11th career win. It was her first this season, making it 16 players to win 16 LPGA tournaments this year.

PGA Tour

Keegan Bradley celebrates after winning the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on Sunday.

(Jessica Hill / Associated Press)

CROMWELL, Conn. — Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley rallied from three shots behind with four holes to play and birdied the 18th hole before a delirious home crowd for a two-under 68 to win the Travelers Championship.

The victory only strengthened the case for Bradley to bring his clubs to Bethpage Black for the September matches against Europe. He moved to No. 9 in the standings.

And he wound up beating Tommy Fleetwood, who scored the clinching point for Europe at Marco Simone two years ago.

One shot behind Fleetwood going to the 18th hole, Bradley stuffed his approach to just under 6 feet below the hole. Fleetwood, looking like this might be the time he wins a PGA Tour title, came up some 50 feet short and took three putts for bogey and a 72.

PGA Tour Champions

AKRON, Ohio — Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Kaulig Companies Championship for his fourth PGA Tour Champions victory of the season, rallying to force a playoff and beating Steven Alker with a 20-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

Two strokes down after playing partner Alker birdied the par-five 16th, Jimenez made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-four 17th and an 18-footer on the par-four 18th.

Tied for the lead entering the round at Firestone South, the 61-year-old Jimenez and 53-year-old Alker each shot two-under 68 to finish at 10-under 270. Stewart Cink was third at eight under after a 66.

Jimenez won his third major title after taking the Regions Tradition and the Senior British Open — both in 2018 — and earned a spot next year in The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass. The Spanish star has 17 career victories on 50-and-over tour.

The U.S. Senior Open begins Thursday at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood was denied his first PGA Tour title in heartbreaking fashion as American Keegan Bradley claimed the Travelers Championship by a single shot.

Fleetwood, 34, held an three-shot overnight lead going into the final round as he looked to finally get over the line on the PGA Tour.

After 41 top-10 finishes, Fleetwood looked on course to end his wait as he held a two-shot lead with three holes to play and a one-shot advantage going into the final hole.

After a decent tee shot on the 18th, a poor putt on his third shot left Fleetwood needing to hole from six-feet to make par.

But he narrowly missed, leaving him to bogey and hope that Bradley, who had reached the green in two, would miss his birdie putt.

The 2011 US PGA Championship winner – who will captain the USA at the Ryder Cup in September – made no mistake, slotting home to deny Fleetwood even a play-off.

“I’m gutted right now,” said Fleetwood.

“I’ve not been in that situation for a long time. It’s probably the worst way to finish.

“Leading by two with three to play. Leading by one going into the last and you don’t even make it to a play-off. It’s the worst way it could go.”

Australian Minjee Lee opened up a four-shot lead at the “brutal” Women’s PGA Championship with a third-round 69 as overnight leader Jeeno Thitikul faltered in Frisco, Texas.

Lee was three shots behind Thitikul at the start of day three but produced an impressive bogey-free round, which included three birdies, to move to six under as windy conditions again made it difficult at the Fields Ranch East course.

Thailand’s Thitikul, chasing her first victory at a major, led after the first two days of the tournament but shot a four-over 76, which included two birdies and six bogeys, and is on two under par.

England’s Charley Hull shot the lowest score of the second round with a 69 and followed that up with a 73 as she goes into the final day on four over par.

There have only been five rounds in the 60s at the tournament and Lee has carded two of them with 69s on days one and three.

“I just try to stay patient out there,” said two-time major winner Lee. “You can’t get ahead of yourself, especially in these conditions.

“It’s only getting harder and harder just with I think pressure of a major championship, and also the course just demands so much from you.”

Lee’s previous major wins came at the 2021 Evian Championship and 2022 US Women’s Open.

She added: “I know what it takes to win and I know just kind of what to feel and what to expect now that I have two under my belt.

“I just think the experience that I’ve had is really going to help me hopefully get over the line.”

Lee and Thitikul are the only players under par for the third of this year’s five LPGA majors.

American Lexi Thompson is on one over par after a 75 that began with a triple bogey and bogey, while compatriot Nelly Korda (72) and Ireland’s Leona Maguire (72) are one shot further back.

“Definitely proud of how I stayed strong,” Thompson said. “It was kind of a nightmare of a start, but I knew coming into the day it was going to play very difficult.

“I don’t know really what happened on my first hole, but [I’m] happy I got it out of the way and stayed positive out there and just made pars and a few birdies here and there.”

World number one Korda added: “It’s brutal out there when it comes to the set-up of the golf course, wind conditions, everything. I’m very happy with even par.

“You’re just happy to get 18 under your belt on a day like this.”

England’s Tommy Fleetwood will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

The 34-year-old, looking to clinch his first PGA Tour title, had a share of a three-way lead after the second round.

A brilliant seven-under-par 63 on Saturday has given Fleetwood the outright lead over American pair Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley.

Henley catapulted into contention with a blistering nine-under-par 61 that included four birdies in his first six holes.

The American set a clubhouse score of 13 under but Fleetwood got to 14 under with an eagle on the par-five 13th.

A birdie on the 15th followed and Fleetwood came close to finishing his round by picking up another stroke.

While world number one Scottie Scheffler slumped to a two-over 72, world number two Rory McIlroy shot a two-under 68.

The Northern Irishman made four bogeys across the front nine but a double bogey on the 12th probably ruined his hopes of a late charge on Sunday.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy will return to the Travelers Championship after skipping the 2024 event to “lick my wounds” after just missing out on the US Open at Pinehurst.

McIlroy arrives in Connecticut off the back off a difficult week at this year’s major at Oakmont, where he was visibly frustrated by his game as he narrowly made the cut and told reporters he had earned the right “to do what I want” after skipping media sessions.

After the tournament he admitted he had climbed his “Everest” by completing a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April and he was looking forward to scaling “another mountain”.

“The weeks after major championships, sometimes when you’re in contention and trying to win them it can feel quite difficult to go and play the next week,” the 36-year-old said.

“But after a week like I had at Oakmont, where you aren’t quite in the mix but you think you might have found something in your game, you are excited to play again.

“This is the perfect chaser from last week and it’s nice to get out on a golf course where you feel like you can make quite a few brides.”

When asked if one particular shot at the US Open had made him feel more positive about his game, McIlroy said consistency was key and pointed to the fact he made the most shots off the tee in the field at Oakmont.

“f I can see something, or have a feeling, that is very repeatable – on the range is one thing but on the course is another – the proof is in the pudding,” he added.

“Last week I felt I found a feeling, especially off the tee that was repeatable and working well.

“I led strokes off the tee last week which was a big thing for me. I thought I drove the ball well all week.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will step down after nine years in the role when his contract ends in 2026.

Brian Rolapp has been appointed as the tour’s first chief executive and will gradually take over Monahan’s day-to-day responsibilities.

Rolapp has spent more than 20 years with the National Football League (NFL), most recently as chief media and business officer.

“A year ago, I informed our boards that upon completing a decade as commissioner, I would step down from my role at the end of 2026,” Monahan said.

“Since then, we’ve worked together to identify a leader who can build on our momentum and develop a process that ensures a smooth transition.

“We’ve found exactly the right leader in Brian Rolapp, and I’m excited to support him as he transitions from the NFL into his new role leading the PGA Tour.”

Monahan’s last few years as commissioner have been dominated by the ructions in golf caused by the rise of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

The 55-year-old was a vocal critic of LIV, but then played a key role in the negotiations that led to an agreement to form a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV.

The secretive nature of the talks with LIV angered a number of players.

Negotiations aimed at a final agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV are ongoing, and Rolapp is hoping to unify the sport.

“I think the fans have been pretty clear,” Rolapp said. “They want to see the best golfers competing against each other. I agree with that.

“When it comes to the situation with LIV, I think that’s a complex situation that’s probably something I should learn more about before I speak.

“But I will say my focus is on growing the tour, making it better, and really moving on from the position of strength that it has.”

Tiger Woods was part of the PGA Tour CEO search committee which unanimously recommended Rolapp for the role.

“Brian’s appointment is a win for players and fans,” said Woods. “He has a clear respect for the game and our players, and brings a fresh perspective from his experience in the NFL.

“I’m excited about what’s ahead, and confident that with Brian’s leadership we’ll continue to grow the tour in ways that benefit everyone who loves this sport.”