Scheffler slams Irish golf fans for comments 'that were very far over the line'

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Scottie Scheffler has hit out at Northern Irish golf supporters for overstepping the mark with remarks made during last month's Open Championship.
The world No. 1 secured his second major of the season at Royal Portrush with a total of 17-under-par, despite facing a hostile crowd who were there to cheer on Rory McIlroy during his triumphant homecoming following his Career Grand Slam completion at the Masters in Augusta earlier this year.
Whilst Scheffler maintained that the abuse he endured on hostile turf didn't affect his performance, he suggested some spectators went too far with their aggressive behaviour.
Following the third round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club, the 29 year old remarked that the atmosphere was mild compared to what he experienced in Northern Ireland.
He said: "I didn't see any of that. I played with Bob [MacIntyre] when we were in Scotland. I heard some fairly choice words when I was leading the tournament in Ireland," reports Belfast Live.
"I think it's part of it. People have a tendency to say things that are dumb. I can think of a few things that were said to me in the final round in Ireland that were very far over the line.
"If you're a fan, it's only going to fire the guy up more, and I think just do your best to behave out there. It can be a little bit silly sometimes."
If Scheffler's performance in Portrush was anything to go by, then the remarks certainly sparked something within him that enabled him to raise his game considerably. That's considering he completed the tournament four strokes ahead of his nearest rival, Harris English.
McIlroy was regrettably unable to secure back-to-back major championships in 2025 at the Open, finishing in a tie for seventh alongside Xander Schauffele and MacIntyre with a combined score of 10-under. This comes as Scottish rising star MacIntyre has expressed his frustration at some of the remarks he has encountered from American spectators at this week's BMW Championship in Maryland.
The 29 year old was leading the field going into the fourth and final round of the competition at 16-under, four shots ahead of second-placed Scheffler. When asked about how a particularly loud spectator on the 14th impacted him, he responded: "Yeah, he was just jeering. He was just shouting I missed it, he's pushed it. Pushed it right in the middle of the hole, I guess."
Furthermore, MacIntyre also revealed that supporters were making noise from the moment he approached the first tee-box, stating: "I mean, it started on the first tee. It probably started when I walked down to the range.
"It ain't bothering me. It's there. As long as they don't do it within... if they do it outside the shot, it's fair game, but don't do it within the shot that's going to affect myself or Scottie."
When questioned whether it motivates him to hear people criticising him around the greens and fairways, he added: "100 percent. It can go two ways.
"But look, I grew up all my days amateur golf being the one on the outside looking in, faced not fitting, really fighting for it. What we say in the team, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog, and I grew up fighting to be in this position."