Rory McIlroy lashed out against liquor sold at tournaments after he nearly clashed with a rowdy golf fan during the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The 28-year-old professional golfer, who is currently third in the tournament, is in the hunt to win on Sunday at the Bay Hill course near Orlando, Florida.
McIlroy said that while the week has been successful, there have been drunken fans on the course who have disrupted the tournament.
He reportedly almost approached one fan on Saturday after they kept yelling McIlroy’s wife’s name while he was on the course.
Professional golfer Rory McIlroy almost approached a drunken fan during the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday. The fan was reportedly heckling at McIlroy using his wife’s name. Pictured is him at the tournament on Saturday
McIlroy married Erica Stoll (pictured) in April 2017. He said on Saturday that he thought liquor should not be allowed at tournaments because of how fans behave
‘I think it’s gotten a little much, to be honest,’ McIlroy said to CBS Sports.
‘I think that they need to limit the alcohol sales on the course, or they need to do something because every week it seems like guys are complaining about it more and more.’
McIlroy is entering the final round of the tournament in third place. He is hoping to snag the title on Sunday. Pictured is him during the tournament on Saturday
McIlroy said that he understood why people wanted to enjoy themselves on the course, but heckling at him by using his wife’s name makes it too personal.
He married Erica Stoll in April 2017, who he met while she was working for PGA.
But he considers her off-limits when it comes to drunken hecklers during tournaments.
Saturday’s rowdy crowd could have been due to it being St. Patrick’s Day.
The Northern Ireland golfer isn’t suggesting a ban on all alcohol at tournaments, but he said liquor should be off the menu or limited.
‘It used to be like you bring beers on to the course or buy beers but not liquor,’ he said.
This wasn’t McIlroy’s first clash with a disorderly fan.
There was one incident during the 2016 Ryder Cup when McIlroy had a drunken fan thrown off the course after he said ‘suck my d**k’ to the professional golfer.
McIlroy said he thought tournament hosts were influenced by the Phoenix Open in Arizona, which is known to be one of the biggest parties for the PGA Tour.
‘Golf is different than a football game, and there’s etiquette involved,’ McIlroy said.
‘You don’t want people to be put off from bringing their kids when people are shouting stuff out.’
McIlroy is focused on putting the rowdy fans behind him as he takes to the golf course on Sunday.
His goal was to start the final round in at least the top ten to give him a shot to take the title.
He tee’d off at 2.30pm in third position, just two shots behind Henrik Stenson from Sweden who is leading the final round.
The Northern Ireland golfer said he understands people just want to have fun at tournaments. But he believes there is an etiquette that should be followed. Pictured is him on Saturday during the tournament