Patrick Cantlay's caddie Joe LaCava appeared to get into words with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry following the final Ryder Cup match on Saturday afternoon.
The watching crowds, including the rest of Team USA, went wild as Cantlay holed a huge putt on the 18th green to seal a win for USA alongside Wyndham Clark vs Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick.
The American players and their team members were waving their hats to the hat-less Cantlay's clutch moment, including his own caddie Joe LaCava.
In the moment, LaCava appeared to upset some of the European team, with the celebrations from the holed putt coming right before Rory McIlroy had an effort to halve the match. McIlroy reportedly "took issue" with LaCava's celebrations according to the US broadcast, with Shane Lowry and LaCava then giving each other a "bit of lip".
Watch McIlroy and Joe LaCava incident:
Live From just showed this angle of LaCava on the 18th green in Rory’s kitchen as he prepared for his birdie putt. Definitely right in Rory’s way. pic.twitter.com/NcBAILHBcJSeptember 30, 2023
LaCava was seen on the broadcast exchanging words and in official photographs taken by the on-site press.
"Rory McIlroy took issue with him waving the hat before he had to make his putt there, and then when he turned around Shane Lowry gave Joe a little bit of lip and Joe gave it right back to Shane," Steve Sands said on the broadcast.
"This thing's getting heated out here."
The heated words appeared to have been settled on the 18th green but TV footage showed the exchanges spilling into the parking lot.
A clip showed McIlroy saying expletives to Jim 'Bones' Mackay, Justin Thomas' caddie, in what looked like the Northern Irishman trying to get a message across to LaCava or others in Team USA via Bones. McIlroy was then ushered into a car by Shane Lowry.
The Golf Channel then confirmed later on air that McIlroy's agent said the incident in the parking lot was "not isolated" and was related to what happened on the green.
It was a tense moment on Saturday evening as Cantlay rescued a victory for Team USA with a birdie-birdie finish.
Team USA will go into Sunday trailing by five, with Europe leading by 10.5 points to 5.5.
"Matt and I played well. Obviously they had a great finish and you know, Patrick made three great putts at the end to seal the deal, so hats off to them," Mcilroy said.
"They played a great match, and yeah, I mean, a few scenes there on 18 and just fuel for the fire tomorrow."
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