Rory McIlroy made feelings clear on Patrick Cantlay ahead of awkward US Open reunion
Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay have been paired together for the final round of the U.S. Open less than a year on from their clash at the Ryder Cup.
McIlroy navigated the treacherously difficult Pinehurst No. 2 to card a 69 and he sits on four-under for the week. The score leaves the four-time major champion tied for second alongside Matthieu Pavon and Cantlay behind leader Bryson DeChambeau.
As a result, McIlroy will be paired with Cantlay as they battle for glory around Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday. It’s a tantalising match for fans given the rivals clashed at the Ryder Cup in Rome last year.
McIlroy helped Team Europe secure an emotional 16.5-11.5 victory at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy to regain the trophy having lost at Whistling Straits two years earlier. Fourballs in Italy saw McIlroy paired with Matt Fitzpatrick as they faced Cantlay and 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.
Cantlay and Clark won the match 1-up thanks to winning the final two holes to kee Team USA’s hopes alive. But after the match concluded on the 18th green, McIlroy exchanged words with Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava.
LaCava, who had previously been a caddie for Tiger Woods, appeared to walk near McIlroy while he was lining up a putt on the final hole of the match, which irritated the Northern Irishman. The argument continued into the car park, and McIlroy told the Irish Independent: "Here’s what angered me. My relationship with Cantlay is average at best. We don’t have a tonne in common and see the world quite differently.
"But when I saw he was getting stick on the 17th and 18th greens, I tried to quiet the crowd for him. And I don’t think Fitz (Fitzpatrick) and I were afforded the same opportunity to try and hole those putts to halve the match.
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Rory McIlroy clashed with Patrick Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava at the Ryder Cup, and called the golfer a '----'
"I shook Joe’s hand and Patrick’s hand. Those three putts he made on 16, 17, and 18 were fantastic, and under that pressure, to give your team a glimmer of hope going into Sunday was big balls. So all respect to him.
"There was a bit of argy-bargy at the back of the 18th green with Fred Couples and Thomas Bjorn - and that’s fine - but as I’m walking back to the locker room I can feel this red mist coming over me. ‘No! That wasn’t right.’
"And they’re trying to defuse the situation, but I start having a go at them. Joe LaCava used to be a nice guy when he was caddying for Tiger, and now he’s caddying for that ---- (Cantlay) he’s turned into an ----. I still wasn’t in a great headspace."
On Saturday, Cantlay spoke positively of the pairing with McIlroy. He told reporters: "Yeah, should be great. I don't know what Bryson is finishing up at, but to be in second or T-second, I'm in a great spot come tomorrow. It's a golf course that's a challenge.
"If you can make some birdies, you can gain a lot of ground. I'm really happy with how I played today, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."