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There was no love lost between the United States and Europe at the Ryder Cup in 2025. Much of that animosity stemmed from tensions between the hostile American crowd and the guys from across the pond, but some footage that recently surfaced suggests Rory McIlroy was also pretty fed up with Patrick Cantlay’s painfully deliberate setup on the tee.
A single stroke can be the difference between hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars on the PGA Tour, so it’s hard to blame the golfers who compete in those tournaments for taking their time to ensure they’re set up for success.
Pace of play has emerged as a very hot topic of conversation in recent years thanks to guys who are known for being a bit too intentional when they address the ball, and Patrick Cantlay has earned a reputation as one of the most egregious offenders due to how long he takes to actually swing once he steps up.
Cantlay has the kind of routine that would make you regret going to the course if you ended up paired with him for a round, and as infuriating as it can be to watch it as a fan of the sport, you have to imagine some of his playing partners also get fed up—and it sure seemed like that was the case with Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup.
A new video has surfaced from the 2025 Ryder Cup that shows Rory McIlroy mocking Patrick Cantlay’s routine
Cantlay and McIlroy already had some lingering beef from the previous Ryder Cup when the showdown descended upon Bethpage Black last year.
The former had a very animated reaction after making a clutch putt during his match against the Northern Irishman and Matt Fitzpatrick at Marco Simone, and the latter took issue with his exuberant celebration before unloading on Joe LaCava, the American’s caddie, in the parking lot.
The two men found themselves reunited on the first day of the Ryder Cup in 2025, as Cantlay and Sam Burns faced off against McIlroy and Shane Lowry in a four-ball match on Friday afternoon.
Cantlay did what Cantlay does best on the tee box during that match, and video that has just now emerged showed McIlroy expressing some frustration by mocking his constant shuffling.
🚨🏌️😴 #NEW — Footage from the 2025 Ryder Cup has emerged of Rory McIlroy mocking Patrick Cantlay’s pre-shot routine. @TrackingRory @TrackingCantlay
(Via: manning57/IG) pic.twitter.com/vJWYty65iV
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) January 28, 2026
That match ended in a tie, but the McIlroy got the last laugh by going 3-1-1 compared to Cantlay’s 1-3-1 as Team Europe defended its crown with a 15-13 victory.