Actress Heather MacMahon on the controversial chants at the Ryder Cup: It was a tough scene.

Heather MacMahon's reaction to the criticism

According to The Sun: American actress and comedian Heather MacMahon responded to negative feedback regarding her role during the use of offensive chants against Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup.

She stepped down as the host of the first tee after being accused of instigating the chants 'f*** off, Rory' on Saturday.

Despite the insults, McIlroy, 36, helped his European team to a 15-13 victory at Bethpage Black in New York.

A representative of the PGA of America confirmed that MacMahon, 38, apologized for the incident.

However, she sees herself as a scapegoat for the behavior of others towards emotional spectators.

In response to a supportive social media post, she clarified:

“It was really a tough scene. I didn’t instigate the chants, but I deeply regret that I reacted to the crowd. I apologized, but I agree it felt a bit like in 'The Witches of Salem' - making me responsible for a sports stage in New York.”

In her post, Vetrini listed:

“Let’s be clear: thousands of men misbehaved. They shouted curses; they threw things at women. The USA team played poorly. The entire USA team played poorly. And all of that because of a comedienne.”

Tension at the tournament

McIlroy faced constant ridicule from the audience throughout the day. At the sixth hole, he stepped back from his shot twice due to the booing and waited for the situation to calm down before taking his shot.

In a position to make a par from 34 feet, several disruptors were removed from the event. Another incident occurred when McIlroy demanded that a spectator be expelled from the Ryder Cup for offensive remarks towards him.

A man, recorded on video, called the reigning Masters champion “f***er,” to which McIlroy immediately reacted by pointing at him and asking security to remove him.

Additionally, McIlroy's wife, Erica, was struck by a beer bottle thrown into the crowd during their walk.

The captain of the European team, Luke Donald, accused the crowd of crossing boundaries.

Under such circumstances, it is essential for organizers to monitor spectator behavior and ensure the safety of participants. The situation at tournaments is becoming increasingly tense, and every incident highlights the need for better regulation and control at competitions.