Trash talk has long been part of the sporting world. But a gentleman’s sport like golf has rarely ever invited it. Augusta National and the Masters strictly oppose it. Hecklers can be anywhere, though, and since the 2025 Ryder Cup, they’ve seemingly always targeted Rory McIlroy.

As the world No. 2 and the reigning Masters Champion teed off at the 17th, one patron believed it was okay to yell something random without consequences. Not only did they invite ejection and scrutiny their way, but they might also have one reason to yell what they did.

Right after McIlroy’s shot flew right, a man shouted, “Give me back my son!”

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The dialogue comes from the Mel Gibson movie Ransom, which the fan was seemingly hinting at. And if they were, there could be a reason why.

In the movie, Gibson, who plays a rich airport owner, is often portrayed as an egotistical character. Do we even need to connect the dots any further?

After his Master’s win last year, which also cleared the Career Grand Slam for him, many wondered if the success had gotten to him. He would not talk to the media and missed a few tournaments. It all could’ve been about the time when the media leaked his name for replacing the driver during the PGA Championship. However, he’s always had the image of being egoistic, which may have played a role in this heckling incident. This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened with McIlroy.

Back at the Truist Championship last year, a man shouted a similar thing as McIlroy chipped an iron and made it to the green. He finished that event at T7 with a score of 10-under 270.

At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Bethpage Black crowd trashed McIlroy and Erica Stoll, his wife. One heckler even launched a drink at Stoll by the stands. It was an experience that McIlroy branded as horrific abuse.

At the PLAYERS Championship, he snatched a phone from a heckling fan after hitting a shot into the water at TPC Sawgrass on the 18th hole. The reaction prompted when the fan yelled, “Just like 2011 at Augusta!” Such instances make you wonder, although he ignores them mostly, McIlroy is not immune to reacting to such fan behavior. The Northern Irishman’s day at Augusta wasn’t exactly going great already.

In the third round, Rory McIlroy began with a bogey and then made a birdie on the third. After making repeated even pars, he made another birdie on the 10th. But trouble came at the next hole, which ended up in a double bogey. That followed a couple of birdies on the 14th and 15th.

But on the 17th, McIlroy ended up making a bogey and finished the round with a score of 73. McIlroy started Saturday with a 6-shot lead but ended the day with a shared lead with Cameron Young, who shot 7-under.

But most wouldn’t think such heckling would be a part of the game at Augusta. If a patron violates the decorum policies, security immediately escorts them off the property. The club permanently revokes the ticket privileges associated with that badge because many Masters badges are tied to lifetime memberships or highly coveted lottery accounts, and the person who holds the badge loses their right to ever attend the tournament again. And the fans knew that pretty well.

Fans Suggest Only One Outcome for Heckling Rory McIlroy at Augusta National

Most fans seemed to be aware of Augusta National’s rules around maintaining the tournament’s decorum. They expressed absolute disgust at the lack of self-awareness shown by the heckler. They started calling for the man’s expulsion from the tournament grounds.

One fan commented, “What does that even mean? Totally unacceptable. Kick him out forever.”

Another fan claimed, “I told my wife immediately that dude will be banned from Augusta forever.”

One more fan commented, “Kick him out and take the ticket away forever from whichever idiot let him use it.”

Meanwhile, a few fans decided to showcase the difference between other standard PGA Tour events and the Masters. Even though the PGA Tour immediately ejected hecklers for violating the Fan Code of Conduct at the WM Phoenix Open this year, Augusta National is known for its even stricter policies.

One fan reflected on that and wrote, “Ain’t the WM Phoenix Open. Immediate expulsion for the heckler.”

“He for sure was escorted off the premises. It’s a violation. You’re not even allowed to tip servers at Augusta.”

While McIlroy continues to fight to keep his title for another year, the person who heckled him might as well be propping up a bridge over the I-20 to Atlanta by tomorrow morning, never to visit the ANGC again.