Rory McIlroy has never hidden his disdain for Bryson DeChambeau. But after the Northern Irishman unloaded on DeChambeau for his reaction to a two-stroke penalty at The Open Championship, social media erupted—not in support of McIlroy, but in accusations of blatant hypocrisy.
DeChambeau was hit with a penalty on the fifth hole at Royal Birkdale for improving his lie in the fescue. The big-hitting American didn't take it quietly. He argued with officials at length, delaying the release of tee times and frustrating players, volunteers, and fans alike. McIlroy, speaking to reporters later, didn't hold back.
“I think a lot of it's performative. I think a lot of it's for attention,” McIlroy said. “To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn't feel like it was a great look.”
McIlroy also admitted he's not a fan of DeChambeau, saying, “I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I'm not particularly fond of him.” The comments quickly went viral, but the backlash wasn't long in coming.
Golf fans were quick to point out that McIlroy has his own history of what could be called “performative” behavior. One user on X shared a video of McIlroy snatching a phone from a fan and walking away with it, an incident that drew widespread criticism. “Let's talk performative Rory,” wrote user Snobby Scheffler.
The replies piled on. “The most performative golfer out there,” one user responded. Another wrote, “He has so much disdain towards fans and anyone who takes attention away from him. So petty and small this press conference. But not surprising at this point. Disappointing.” A third user demanded, “Rory should have been charged with Theft of Property and arrested… Put the crybaby in jail.”
The irony wasn't lost on observers who noted that McIlroy has a reputation for being prickly with the media and fans when things don't go his way. “Honestly. I'm starting to hate Rory as well. He's a massive baby. Just like the rest of this old school, stuffy PGA tour colleagues,” one fan wrote.
Another added, “Whiney Rory will skip the final day press conference when he doesn't win the Open. He thinks he's greater than the game!” The criticism echoes the recent NBC backlash for its coverage of DeChambeau, where the network was accused of bias.
McIlroy is entitled to his opinions, but as the saying goes, what goes around comes around. The same fans who watched DeChambeau's penalty drama unfold are now turning the spotlight on McIlroy's own behavior—and they're not impressed. Whether it's DeChambeau threatening to walk away from the Open or McIlroy's phone-grabbing incident, the court of public opinion is keeping score.
