Rory McIlroy: Masters champion swears at heckler at US PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy shouted an expletive at a heckler who distracted him at a crucial moment in the final round of the US PGA Championship.

The world number two swore as he told the fan to “shut up” and seemingly urged security to remove the spectator from the grounds at the Aronimink venue.

Sunday’s incident was reminiscent of McIlroy’s heated Ryder Cup campaign last year, when he was the subject of frequent abuse by United States supporters during Europe’s victory at Bethpage Black.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who won his second consecutive Masters and sixth major overall last month, closed with a one-under-par 69 at the US PGA to finish four under overall and tied for seventh in Pennsylvania.

He was five strokes adrift of victor Aaron Rai, who became the first Englishman to win the event’s Wanamaker Trophy in over a century.

The incident with the spectator occurred on the par-five 16th, with McIlroy chipping out of the rough into a greenside bunker after heckling during his backswing.

He moved within five feet of the pin with his next shot and sank his par putt, but would have seen the hole as an opportunity for a birdie.

McIlroy said after the round that he will not compete again until the PGA Tour’s Memorial tournament in three weeks, with June’s US Open at Shinnecock following a fortnight later.