Golfer Rory McIlroy Sparks Online Controversy After Calling a Heckler Fat

Rory McIlroy had a tense moment with a heckler during a tense moment at the 2026 U.S. Open that’s led to accusations of body shaming.

The golfer, 37, can be seen in a video of the incident teeing off at Shinnecock Hills Gold Club in Southampton, New York, on Sunday, June 21, while a male in the crowd shouts at him.

“Get in the bunker!” the man yells. “I hope you live there today!”

McIlroy, who has a history of being heckled and engaging with critics verbally, did not address the man. However, as he walked away, he used his hands to mime a large belly while looking at the man, seemingly using the gesture to call the heckler fat.

The move elicited some laughs from the crowd as well as a lot of shouts before the video cuts off.

It didn’t take long before McIlroy’s critics took to social media to call him out for insulting the man’s appearance.

“Wait did he just fat shame someone? Disgusting behaviour by a pro,” one user on X wrote.

“Looks like he let them bother him quite a bit today…” someone else wrote.

“Body shame fans maybe,” wrote another commenter.

“Rory is real class huh,” another added sarcastically.

While some were quick to call out McIlroy for his controversial reaction to the heckler, many took his side and blamed both the man yelling and the PGA for allowing such behavior.

“Why?? Why in the hell would any clown talk like that to a golfer?? Loser,” an X user commented.

“They shouldn’t allow phones on the course. All these ‘content creators’ looking for their moment,” another commenter wrote.

“Why don’t they throw guys like this out?” asked another.

“Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic,” someone else wrote.

The incident came as the Northern Irish golfer returned to New York to play professionally for the first time after he and his wife, Erica Stoll, were subjected to heckling at the 2025 Ryder Cup, according to Us Weekly.