FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, September 30th, 2023

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE 44TH RYDER CUP ON NBC AND PEACOCK (DAY 2)

“’You want a hats off party? We’re going to give it to you right now.’ That’s a hat trick of birdies to finish.” – Dan Hicks on Patrick Cantlay’s long birdie putt to win match on 18th hole and U.S. team’s reaction

“It was like I had a standing ovation walking onto every tee and every green.” – Patrick Cantlay to reporter Steve Sands on European fans’ hat-waving

“Rory got into a very heated, loud exchange with Jim “Bones” Mackay. Clearly, he was referring to what happened on the 18th green. Shane Lowry had to step in to separate the two.” – Rex Hoggard reporting on parking lot exchange between McIlroy and Mackay on Live From the Ryder Cup

“The issue was that it affected his preparation to hit his putt. Joe was in his eye line, Joe was too close to him and was waving the hat, and then went back at Rory as he was preparing to putt and continued to talk to him.” – Paul McGinley on Live From on McIlroy/LaCava interaction on 18th green

Day 3 Coverage on Sunday Begins at 5:30 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2023 – NBC Sports presented exclusive coverage of Day 2 of the 44th Ryder Cup from Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy, on USA Network, NBC and Peacock, as well as Golf Central Live From The Ryder Cup post-round coverage on Peacock.

Tomorrow’s Day 3 singles coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. ET NBC and Peacock.

Europe leads the United States 10 ½ to 5 ½ heading into Sunday’s singles matches.

On Day 2

Dan Hicks on Patrick Cantlay’s long birdie putt to win final match in four-ball on 18th hole: “All the Americans joining in – you want a hats off party? We’re going to give it to you right now. That’s a hat trick of birdies for Cantlay to finish…if you’re looking for any team dissension, all you have to do is look at the players react to Cantlay right here.”

Paul Azinger on Cantlay’s birdie to win on 18th hole: “What an ‘in your face’ moment for Cantlay.”

Cantlay to reporter Steve Sands on European crowd waving hats at him: “It was like I had a standing ovation walking onto every tee and every green. I told Wyndham (Clark) when we were walking to the first tee to use it as fuel, and we did all day.”

John Wood on Rory McIlroy interaction with Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava on 18th hole following birdie putt: “I spoke to (Joe) and he said, ‘I was celebrating, I was waving my hat up in the air and getting the crowd jacked up.’ He was turning around, didn’t know Rory was coming back to his ball and got slightly in his way. Rory was fine with it, he kind of laughed. Then Shane (Lowry) came on to the green to tell him to get out of the way. Joe said, ‘We’re getting our butts kicked, I’m going to celebrate right now.’ Then Justin Rose got involved…it got a little chippy.”

Rex Hoggard reporting on Rory McIlroy and Jim “Bones” Mackay post-round argument in parking lot: “It was quite the exchange…Rory was trying to get into his courtesy car to leave, then he got into a very heated, loud exchange with Mackay. He said, ‘That can’t happen. That’s a disgrace.’…clearly, he was referring to what happened on the 18th green. Shane Lowry had to step in to separate the two.”

Paul McGinley on Live From after talking to people close to McIlroy: “The view is that Rory felt it was disrespectful. He understands giving it back to the crowd, he doesn’t have an issue with that. The Americans and Patrick Cantlay took a lot of heat out there…he had no problem with him taking his hat off and doing that, the issue was that it affected his preparation to hit his putt. Joe was in his eye line, Joe was too close to him and was waving the hat, and then went back at Rory as he was preparing to putt and continued to talk to him…he should not be involved with a player trying to line up his putt. That’s a mistake from Joe…the car park was not about Bones, he was an innocent party.”

Brandel Chamblee on Live From: “The Americans haven’t had anything to celebrate for two days. When that putt went in, it had the feel of 2012 with Poulter making the putts everywhere…if you remember yesterday, Shane Lowry was running out on the fairway back and forth celebrating wildly. The pendulum swings here. The emotions are high. It’s one of the reasons the Ryder Cup is unlike any event in golf…Rory did have a legitimate beef there…that doesn’t look good though, but you’re talking about Joe LaCava, 34 years in the game with an impeccable reputation as being a great guy. That is what makes the Ryder Cup so amazing.”

Paul McGinley on Live From on the passion: “I think it’s fantastic. It fires up the passion in both teams, this is what the Ryder Cup is about. You can see what it means to Rory McIlroy…you go back to your teammates, you get fired up again…I am loving the passion that certainly Rory is giving, but I understand why the Americans away from home as well are reacting to all of the crowd.”

Hicks on European fans taking their hats off at Patrick Cantlay on 16th hole: “You had the feeling this would happen at the 16th hole…the fans taking their hats off to Patrick Cantlay. There’s been much made that Cantlay doesn’t want to wear a hat if he’s not paid for it. We have not asked Cantlay directly about it, nor have we talked to Zach Johnson, but the fans have gotten wind of it.”

Brad Faxon: “He’s not the first player to ever think like that. Back in the late 90s there were players that started whispering…Mark O’Meara, David Duval, Phil Mickelson, even Tiger a little bit…things have changed.”

Azinger on Cantlay: “He might come out with a hat tomorrow with a big ol’ middle finger on it for all we know.”

Curt Byrum on Max Homa: “He’s been the star of this U.S. team.”

Dan Hicks on Homa: “He’s looking like Maximus here in Rome…are you not entertained?”

Hicks on Justin Rose: “The last of the old guard of the European Ryder Cup team…it is Justin Rose who time after time this week has buried putt after putt.”

Azinger on Justin Rose: “Justin Rose took the heart out of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Justin Thomas was picked specifically for Jordan Spieth…they just didn’t play that great. They got outplayed. It was a peak performance by him.”

Azinger on Jordan Spieth in four-ball: “He is in real disarray. Totally out of sorts.”

Azinger to Paul McGinley: “Are you aware of how dominant Europe has been in foursomes at home the last three Ryder Cups? 20-4 at home, the Americans are 16 ½ to 7 ½ at home so there’s a home-field advantage.”

McGinley: “Why do you think we went with foursomes first? We’re all over that stat. That’s why Luke (Donald) changed the sessions.”

Azinger: “I did the same thing in 2008. We started with foursomes in the morning and it helped us as well…I got the scoop earlier this week at Europe was going to force the Americans to hit more mid-irons from the 180-220 range…on the par-3s, Europe has won 13 holes and the Americans have only won four. Is that something Europe figured out?”

McGinley: “Absolutely. Edoardo Molinari is the unsung hero behind the scenes, a vice captain, and his statistical analysis is second to none.”

–NBC SPORTS–