Overview

• Stefan Schauffele confirmed he will skip the September Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, becoming one of the highest-profile figures to boycott the event.
• He singled out Rory McIlroy’s 2023 on-course confrontation with caddie Joe LaCava in Rome as a turning point marking a decline in player civility.
• Schauffele also cited a 2021 incident at Whistling Straits when a fan hurled a vulgar slur at Shane Lowry’s wife, underscoring his worries over family safety.
• Former European captain Padraig Harrington warned that fans have spat at players and unleashed unrepeatable taunts, raising fears about spectator misconduct.
• The boycott intensifies calls for Ryder Cup organizers to enforce stricter standards for both on-course decorum and crowd conduct.