The Northern Irish golfer has already had a run-in with former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane when he was younger and once claimed he ‘never liked’ him
Rory McIlroy has already made his feelings clear about Roy Keane, who made a brutal remark about the Northern Irishman’s wife Erica Stoll. McIlroy was subject to boos, whistles and some strong words from the United States crowd during the recent Ryder Cup triumph.
The 36-year-old would clap back with one or two x-rated remarks of his own, but when his wife, Erica, was hit by a drink thrown from the crowd, he called it out as ‘unacceptable’. United legend Keane, however, took a different stance on the incident, which left his Overlap presenters Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Ian Wright in stitches.
Keane left his fellow pundits laughing after he showed little sympathy and told McIlroy he should have told his wife: “Just stay at the hotel, love.”
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“I’m no expert in golf, I don’t play the game, but I watch top-level sport, and you’re telling me there is pressure on these players because some people were shouting,” Keane said. “In football, if you go to Leeds or Anfield on a Tuesday night [that’s pressure].
“These guys are playing in tournaments every week, and all of a sudden they are going to be upset by a few yanks.
“McIlroy has won all the big prizes, do you think he’s going to be upset by a few people? It’s ridiculous. And then they do get upset because of their partners.
“Let me tell you, if I was a golfer and my partner or wife was getting abuse, I’d go, ‘Just stay at the hotel, love; I’ll see you tonight when I get back.’ You don’t come to the other tournaments, but you get into an outfit and come to the Ryder Cup; stay at home.
“If I’m getting loads of stick, go home. And I bet they go back to a nice hotel, they’re not going to be camping in a tent.”
Keane may have meant his comment light-heartedly, but it’s not the first time he’s caused some controversy with the golfer, having snubbed him for an autograph when McIlroy was just 12-years-old.
Back in 2017, McIlroy went viral on social media after a video surfaced of him giving a golf ball to a young fan. The golfer was surprised by the traction the video received, claiming it was a regular occurrence.
“It just shows what such a small thing can mean to a kid,” McIlroy said. “I had it go the other way for me, where I asked someone for an autograph as a kid and they didn’t give it to me. And I’ve never liked them since.
“It was Roy Keane. He should be one of my heroes because I was, and still am, a huge Man United fan. But I remember I went and asked him for his autograph at the Portmarnock Links Hotel when he was with the Ireland squad and he just said ‘no’.
“And it just sort of stuck with me ever since. So, that’s why if a kid asks me for an autograph, I always try to do it.”
McIlroy would revisit the incident last year regarding Keane snubbing him for an autograph, clarifying his stance on the situation.
Speaking on the Overlap last year, McIlroy said: “I was down at the Parmer Links hotel and the Republic of Ireland team were staying there too.
“I saw one of my Manchester United heroes, Roy Keane, in the lobby, and I must’ve been around 12 years old, so I went over to him asking for an autograph.
“He looked up at me and said, “not today kid”, but it was okay as it didn’t make an impression on me.”