Browsing: Apology

Rory McIlroy said that PGA of America chief executive Derek Sprague has sent a personal apology for the abuse directed at him and his wife during Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in New York.

Europe held off a stirring fightback from the U.S. at Bethpage Black, where the Americans had gone into the final session 12-5 down before mounting a comeback in the singles, only to come up short.

Luke Donald’s team — and McIlroy in particular — were on the end of abuse from a partisan crowd across the three days, with a beer from the crowd hitting McIlroy’s wife, Erica. The number of insults and jeers, some that occurred as he was in the process of hitting a shot, caused delays and led the PGA of America to add extra security.

“I got a lovely email from Derek Sprague apologizing,” McIlroy told BBC Sport as he prepared for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

“Erica worked with Derek at the PGA of America back in the day, so we know Derek and his wife pretty well. He couldn’t have been more gracious or apologetic and he wrote us a lovely letter, which we really appreciated.”

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Sprague had said last month that he planned to issue an apology to McIlroy and his wife.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley didn’t condemn the “passionate” home fans at Bethpage, where McIlroy felt the hostile atmosphere actually spurred Europe on.

“I take it as a compliment that they targeted me, but then at the same time, it was a tough week,” McIlroy said. “That made us better as a team. It galvanized us and it really put our arms around each other.”

In his first public comments since the Ryder Cup loss, Bradley said recently, “There’s no part of me that thinks I’ll ever get over this.”

Masters champion McIlroy is aiming to cap a memorable year as he prepares for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“I think back to the start in January of 2025 when I was last here and everything that’s happened since,” said McIlroy, who also won the Players Championship, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Irish Open.

“Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I didn’t know. I mean, I knew a year like this was possible, but it has just been an amazing 10 months.”

Information from PA was used in this report.

Rory McIlroy says PGA of America chief executive Derek Sprague personally apologized for the abuse directed at him and his wife during Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph at Bethpage Black and that the gesture helped close the book on what had been a bruising week.

“I got a lovely e-mail from Derek Sprague apologizing,†McIlroy told BBC Sport ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “Erica worked with Derek at the PGA of America back in the day, so we know Derek and his wife pretty well. He couldn’t have been more gracious or apologetic and he wrote us a lovely letter, which we really appreciated.â€

A beer hurled from the stands struck his wife Erica’s hat during the fiery three-day contest, in which McIlroy became a lightning rod for a raucous home crowd. “I take it as a compliment that they targeted me, but then at the same time, it was a tough week,†he said. “That made us better as a team. It galvanised us and it really put our arms around each other.â€

While USA captain Keegan Bradley declined to condemn the “passionate†New York fans, McIlroy said the experience ultimately strengthened Europe’s resolve en route to their narrow victory.

Now preparing for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the four-time major winner reflected on what he called a career-defining campaign. “I think back to the start in January of 2025 when I was last here and everything that’s happened since,†McIlroy said. “Honestly, in my wildest dreams, I didn’t know. I mean, I knew a year like this was possible, but it has just been an amazing 10 months.â€

McIlroy also weighed in on LIV Golf’s decision to expand to 72-hole events beginning in 2026, a change widely seen as a bid for Official World Golf Ranking points. “I think it’s a peculiar move because I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds,†he said. “I don’t think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.

“It certainly puts them more in line with traditional golf tournaments … but if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that’s what they had to do.â€

Yet McIlroy doubts the switch will significantly boost LIV players’ standings. “Say potentially they get world rankings points, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings … I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them,†he said. “It will be interesting to see how it plays out.â€

Mickie James is finally breaking it all down—what really happened when WWE shipped her belongings in a trash bag after her 2021 release, and how it led to one of the most embarrassing internal shakeups in recent company history.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the former WWE Womenâ€s Champion said she wasnâ€t as upset as fans were when she first received the bag. In fact, sheâ€d been through it before.

“I wasnâ€t as offended as the fans were when it happened, because I donâ€t think you realize how many times weâ€ve been offended,†she said. “Iâ€m so numb to getting my feelings hurt, or Iâ€m so used to, ‘Oh, you got to separate your ego from it, and donâ€t take it personal. Itâ€s just business.â€â€

James said the now-infamous post was driven by sarcasm, and a way to spotlight just how disposable wrestlers can feel.

“So I posted, because Iâ€m a sarcastic person, and if I was to be honest, I got two boxes with two trash bags. I still have the trash bags because Iâ€m keeping them—receipts,†she said. “I remembered in 2010 when I got my stuff back and I got it the same way, and 2010 me was devastated… This time, I didnâ€t take it personally. Iâ€m like, of course. Itâ€s more about the lack of thought of how youâ€re so disposable…â€

The post exploded online. Top WWE executives immediately reached out, including Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and John Laurinaitis.

“Then Hunter called me, Stephanie text me, Johnny called me. Everybody called me,†she recalled.

The fallout led to the firing of longtime Head of Talent Relations Mark Carrano—something James didnâ€t intend or celebrate.

“I still feel bad for Mark Carrano, who got fired for it, because Mark was always good to me… heâ€s the one who got fired. But it was just a testament to that was like a company thing of like, they just didnâ€t really think of how that would affect [you]…â€

Then came the biggest surprise—Vince McMahon personally picked up the phone to apologize.

“Vince called me and I spoke to him on the phone… Because I was like, Vince has never called me before,†she said. “But he was genuine. He was like, ‘You know Iâ€ve never thought that of you, and Iâ€ve always thought highly of you, and Iâ€m so sorry that happened and that person is not here anymore.†And then I was like, Oh no. Felt bad for Mark Carrano.â€

James said she doesnâ€t think the trash bag practice is used anymore and believes the incident woke WWE up to how careless it looked from the outside.

“I donâ€t think anybody else will get their stuff that way anymore… I donâ€t think they come in Gucci bags, but they certainly donâ€t come in hefty bags.â€

Mickie James didnâ€t ask for drama—she simply showed fans what happens behind the curtain. And whether it was sarcasm or a silent protest, it sure got the industryâ€s attention.

Do you think WWE has really changed how it treats talent behind the scenes, or are gestures like this just PR fixes? Let us know in the comments below.

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