Overview
- Footage that surfaced after Saturday's third round shows McIlroy making a hand gesture that mocked a spectator's size after the fan loudly heckled his tee shot.
- McIlroy rallied on Saturday with a 66-foot birdie that lifted him into contention but bogeyed the back nine and finished tied for 32nd at six over par with rounds of 69, 71, 73 and 73.
- Event reporting noted at least one spectator ejection for heckling and said other players, including eventual winner Wyndham Clark, faced hostile crowd behavior during the final rounds.
- After the tournament McIlroy said he still enjoys playing in New York and announced he will skip next week's Travelers Championship to return home and prepare for the Open at Royal Birkdale.
- The episode reinforces a pattern of recent fan confrontations involving McIlroy dating back to 2025 and intensifies questions about how the USGA and course security manage spectator conduct at majors.