Shane Lowry forced to drag Rory McIlroy away from heated argument after 18th drama

"Bones is one of the nicest guys around. I don't know what he said to him."

Paul McGinley was about the only person on the live TV broadcast that was loving the "heated" scenes after a tense finish on the 18th hole of a match involving Rory McIlroy. The Team Europe talisman was raging after Joe LaCava, the caddie to Patrick Cantlay, started celebrating and waving his cap around on the 18th green. LaCava waved his cap around, along with members of the European team, after Cantlay dropped a long putt that ended up winning a point for the USA side. https://twitter.com/NUCLRGOLF/status/1708164882133143767

Rory McIlroy clashes with 'Bones' Mackay

On the flashpoint at the end, Patrick Cantlay said he did not get a good look at the Rory McIlroy clash with his caddie as he was 'too busy letting out some of the emotion of the day'. Journalist Rex Hoggard described a heated exchange between McIlroy and Jim 'Bones' Mackay, who is a former caddie to Phil Mickelson and who has been working with Team USA.

"It was a tense exchange here between Rory McIlroy and Jim 'Bones' Mackay... Rory approached him and said [about LaCava'a actions], 'That can't happen. It's a disgrace.' He then used some language that I can't use live on air... Shane Lowry had to step in to separate the two."

https://twitter.com/SkySportsGolf/status/1708182297441136813 Todd Lewis, another reporter on the live feed, which carried on Sky Sports, added some more context to the scene. He stated:

"I just came from the 18th green and we saw what happened... the European crowd were giving it to Cantlay... after the match was won, Lowry and a couple of players approached LaCava and said, 'That can't happen'... It spilled over and tensions were high."

Sky Sports then showed footage of Shane Lowry arguing on the final green with Joe LacCava and others from the American team. Team Europe captain Luke Donald said he was told by Rory McIlroy that he asked LaCava to move, on a couple of occasions, as he was trying to line up a birdie putt that could still level the game. Asked about the car park incident he said, "Rory is a passionate guy." "It does feel great to beat them," said Wyndham Clark, who was Cantlay's partner for their 1 Up win. More on this story as it follows...

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