Rory McIlroy has previously spoken out about his feelings about Roy Keane after making harsh comments about the player’s wife Erica Stoll. During his recent Ryder Cup victory, McIlroy was subjected to jeers, whistles and harsh words from the American crowd.
The 36-year-old golfer responded with a few words of his own choice, but when his wife Erica was shocked by a drink thrown at him by the crowd, he labeled it “unacceptable.” But Manchester United legend Keane took a different view of the incident, causing laughter from Overlap co-hosts Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Ian Wright.
Keane showed little sympathy, amusing fellow pundits, and suggested McIlroy should have told his wife: “Stay in the hotel, love.”
“I’m not a golf expert, I don’t play golf, but I watch top-level sports, and I’m told there’s pressure on these players because some people were screaming,” Keene said. “In football, if you go to Leeds or Anfield on a Tuesday night (that’s pressure).
“They play tournaments every week and all of a sudden they get upset by a few yanks.
“McIlroy has won all the major awards, but do you think he’s going to be upset by some people? That’s ridiculous. And they’re going to be upset because of their partners.”
“I’m telling you, if I were a golfer and my partner or wife was being abused, I would say, ‘Stay in a hotel, love, I’ll see you when I get back tonight.'” He doesn’t come to other tournaments, but he comes to the Ryder Cup in costume. Please stay home.
“If I’m getting a bunch of sticks, go home. And I’m sure they’ll go back to a nice hotel. They’re not going to camp in tents.”
Keane may have meant the comment in jest, but this is not the first time the golfer has sparked controversy, having previously refused to sign McIlroy’s autograph when he was just 12 years old.
In 2017, footage of McIlroy giving away a golf ball to a young supporter went viral and received praise.
The golfer expressed surprise that the video received attention and claimed that such gestures are routine for him. “This just shows you what little things like this mean to a kid,” McIlroy said.
“I went in the opposite direction. When I was a kid I asked someone for an autograph and they wouldn’t give it back. And I haven’t liked them ever since.”
“It was Roy Keane. He should be one of my heroes because I was and still am a big Man United fan. But I remember going to the Portmarnock Links Hotel to ask for his autograph when he was in the Ireland squad and he just said ‘no’.
“Ever since then, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. So whenever a kid asks me for an autograph, I always do it.”
McIlroy later recalled his encounter with Keane, who refused to sign him, and gave his version of what happened.
“I was in the Palmer Links hotel and the Republic of Ireland team was also staying there,” McIlroy said on Overlap last year.
“I saw Roy Keane, one of my Manchester United heroes, in the lobby, I think he was only about 12 years old, so I went up to him to get his autograph.
“He looked up at me and said, ‘Not today’s kid,’ but he wasn’t impressed so it was okay.”
