Last year's Ryder Cup was a fairly routine victory for the European team, but the golf event in Rome was not short on drama across its three days of play. Of course, the most memorable incident of the lot had Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry very much at the heart of it.
It all stemmed from McIlroy's run-in with American caddie Joe LaCava on the 18th hole on Saturday's afternoon session. After Patrick Cantlay had sunk a putt to potentially complete a brilliant comeback, his caddie took things a bit too far in the celebrations as the Northern Irishman lined up his putt.
This angle of the Joe LaCava-Rory McIlroy incident though 😳
pic.twitter.com/TGERTGVAK3— Alex Perry (@byAlexPerry) October 1, 2023
It did not go down well with the European team, also leading to some unsavoury scenes in the course car park soon after.
Those incidents have been well discussed at this stage, although we have been given a new insight into them on the release of Netflix's latest golf documentary this week.
READ HERE: Rory McIlroy Respectfully Savages Talor Gooch Over Masters 'Asterisk' Comment
Golf: Netflix cameras catch Shane Lowry reaction Ryder Cup incident
The first season of Full Swing on Netflix turned out to be quite the hit, with the docuseries following a number of high profile PGA players during the 2022 season. Of course, it also happened to be filming at a time when LIV Golf emerged onto the scene.
The Netflix cameras were onsite once again in 2023, with the show's second season dedicating two episodes to the Ryder Cup.
The McIlroy-LaCava incident was always going to play a large part in those episodes, with Shane Lowry's response perhaps the most memorable aspect.
As LaCava continued his celebrations and McIlroy lined up his putt, the camera cut to the Offaly man, who was becoming increasingly irate as the sequence of events played out.
He could be seen shouting at the caddie:
Hey Joe, get out of the way you p***k! Hey Joe, f**k off! F**k off!
Putting off a player who is linking up a putt is one of the most contentious things someone can do on a golf course, with the Europeans clearly furious on this occasion.
Shane Lowry would make his way onto the green after the putt was taken and missed, having this to say to LaCava:
Lowry: Joe, you were on top of him when he was putting. You were on top of him when he was putting. You were right in line with him.
LaCava: I wasn't in his line, I didn't get too close to him.
Lowry: We were in Whistling Straits as well, okay? Ye get it when ye are here. We get it when we are there. It's all fun and games, that's just the way it is.
LaCava: I just wanted to celebrate though.
Lowry: I was in Whistling Straits two years ago, okay? Let's just leave it at that. We'll see you tomorrow.
As Lowry references, the visiting team getting a tough time from the home golf fans is something that is expected in the Ryder Cup, with the European side having experienced something similar at Whistling Straits in 2021.
The Americans clearly bit back at this treatment on this occasion, something that the players on the opposing side were far from happy with.
It will certainly add a bit of extra bite when the two teams face off at Bethpage next year.
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