Xander Schauffele’s father slams Rory McIlroy’s disgusting behaviour as he claims the Ryder Cup is now ‘unwatchable’

Xander Schauffele and his father, Stefan, have one of the closest relationships out on the PGA Tour but Schauffele senior has had some choice words for both the PGA Tour and Rory McIlroy.

Stefan has been a long-time coach for Xander over the years and they’ve celebrated many a success together as Schauffele became a two-time major winner in 2024.

With Xander being so softly spoken and dry with his sense of humour, it can be a surprise to hear his father being so abrupt and honest.

Nevertheless, that is what seems to make them work as a pairing – in golf terms at least – and Schauffele senior has now had some choice words to say about the Ryder Cup.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Xander Schauffele’s Dad criticises the Ryder Cup and Rory McIlroy

Over the years, the Ryder Cup has become more and more like other sports, where the fans have taken to giving each other as much ‘banter’ as possible.

That has filtered into the players but at times, has led to things boiling over a touch.

Take Rome in 2023, for example, when Rory McIlroy and Joe LaCava almost came to blows in the car park in unsavoury scenes.

Indeed, it is those scenes, plus a comment to Shane Lowry’s wife previously, that have left Stefan Schauffele questioning if he even wants to watch.

“Do I miss the PGA Tour? No. I’m not going to the Ryder Cup either. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen in New York. I was there [at Whistling Straits] when they called Shane Lowry’s wife a w—-* in front of him. I couldn’t believe my ears,” Stefan admitted in an interview for The Times.

“Then I saw what happened in Rome. That was utterly disgusting claiming this money bull—- and Rory [McIlroy] behaved disgustingly in my opinion [when he confronted Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, in the car park]. It’s only going to get worse. It’s ruined my appetite for the Ryder Cup. It becomes unwatchable.”

Bethpage could be the worst Ryder Cup yet for fan comments

Rome was intense. The European crowds really laid it on thick for the Americans and there can be no doubt that it affected their performance.

Going over to New York for Bethpage, then, is going to be quite the spectacle and things could turn messy.

We’ve seen raucous crowds in recent times at the WM Open and other events and there’s definitely a fear within the game that things might reach boiling point in this year’s edition of the Ryder Cup.

All eyes will be on the event and how the patrons behave. If things get out of line, then we can expect golf to come firmly under the microscope over where it is heading as a game.