Why is there beef between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay?

Rory McIlroy bogeyed two of the last four holes in the third round of the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 on Saturday, which saw him fall three shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau and cost him the chance of playing in the final pairing on Sunday.

That honour will go to Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, with McIlroy instead set for a reunion in the penultimate twosome with Patrick Cantlay, a man he hasn’t exactly seen eye to eye with in recent years.

There are two main factors behind the beef between the pair, although there is no doubt they are connected.

McIlroy and Cantlay’s initial clash over PGA Tour battle with LIV Golf

“We don’t have a ton in common and see the world quite differently,” said McIlroy in an interview with Paul Kimmage of the Irish Independent following a flashpoint between the duo at the 2023 Ryder Cup (more on that later).

The Northern Irishman and his American counterpart certainly appear to see the golfing world and its future differently, which may well have been what he was referring to.

McIlroy joined the PGA Tour Policy Board in 2022 and was initially incredibly outspoken on the tour’s battle against LIV Golf (owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund), who he was fiercely critical of in every possible way. The 34-year-old’s stance has since softened but he stepped down from his position on the board, citing burnout caused by the whole situation.

Cantlay followed McIlroy onto the board in 2023 and has taken on a more prominent role as his rival has faded into the background. The Californian, by contrast, has shown himself to be open to a PGA Tour-LIV/PIF merger or agreement from the beginning, saying: “If the best option for the Tour is with PIF, then I’m all for that”. A view McIlroy does seem to have come round to.

The Irishman’s change of heart led to him attempting to rejoin the board in May as a replacement for Webb Simpson, who will step down in 2025. But that move was blocked, reportedly as a result of pushback from other player directors. The board is made up by Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Peter Malnati and Cantlay, as well as former tour member Joe Ogilive as board liaison.

What happened between McIlroy and Cantlay at the Ryder Cup?

As for that Ryder Cup incident, the animosity between McIlroy and Cantlay spilled over onto the course on the second day of team match-ups in Rome last September.

With McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick level with Cantlay and Wyndham Clark on the final green of the last fourball match on Saturday afternoon, Cantlay holed a crucial birdie putt on the 18th, which sparked scenes of jubilation from the American team, and particularly caddie Joe LaCava.

McIlroy was left incensed by the celebrations due to both him and Fitzpatrick still having putts of their own to ensure the match finished all square. They missed, the Americans took the point and things spilled over into the car park.

McIlroy’s verbal spats and Cantlay insult

The four-time major winner got into verbal confrontations with US caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay, which was caught on camera, and Ricky Elliott and Claude Harmon, Brooks Koepka’s caddie and swing coach.

McIlroy revealed to Kimmage he “started having a go at them too: ‘Joe LaCava used to be a nice guy when he was caddying for Tiger, and now he’s caddying for that d**k he’s turned into a …”

We don’t know what LaCava turned into, but we do know how McIlroy referred to Cantlay, who has since claimed, “I think it was taken out of context. And that’s kind of the world we live in, where the headline drives the story”.

The two will renew their rivalry at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday and while both would have been hoping to be in final pairing at the 2024 US Open, perhaps having the chance to beat one of your greatest adversities to the trophy in front of his very eyes could be an even bigger source of motivation?