Rory McIlroy ruined Matt Kuchar with 9-word dig after PGA tour controversy

Long before Matt Kuchar bizarrely refused to play the final hole of the Wyndham Championship over the weekend, Rory McIlroy took a brutal dig at the American on the heels of a different controversy.

Back in 2019, Kuchar drew the ire of many golf fans once it was revealed that he paid David “El Tucan” Ortiz only $5,000 after the caddie helped him win the Mayakoba Golf Classic, which at the time possessed a first-place prize of $1.296 million.

Kuchar added further fuel to the fire when he expressed little remorse for the low payout, telling Golf Channel: “I certainly don’t lose sleep over this. This is something that I’m quite happy with, and I was really happy for him to have a great week and make a good sum of money. Making $5,000 is a great week.”

In an official statement from the PGA Tour, Kuchar attempted to walk back his prior comments, affirming that he’d make the situation right with Ortiz, who revealed he was looking to receive $50,000 for his services. The Florida native agreed to pay the “full total” requested, as well as donate an undisclosed sum to the Mayakoba tournament in an effort to support “philanthropic causes” in Mexico.

Despite his peacemaking efforts, Kuchar still couldn’t escape a hilarious burn from McIlroy. During the Wyndham Rewards ceremony several months later, Kuchar divulged that McIlroy cost him $300,000 due to his two-point advantage in the season-long race, to which the Northern Irishman swiftly replied: “And we all know what money means to him.”

Kuchar took the brutal dig in stride, chuckling to himself as the rest of the room burst into a fit of laughter. But five years later, McIlroy’s comment has taken on a new meaning.

With daylight dwindling on Sunday, Kuchar was playing in the final threesome of the Wyndham Championship alongside Max Greyserman and Chad Ramey when he decided against playing his second shot on the 72nd hole. His decision is all the more peculiar considering the 46-year-old sat far out of contention at 11-under, tied for 12th place.

Social media users hardly sympathized with Kuchar following his unorthodox decision, insisting that he didn’t need the additional money after earning almost $60 million over more than 20 years on the PGA Tour.

“The difference between a 10-way for 12th and a seven-way tie for 21st is ~$58,000,” CBS Sports’ Kyle Porter wrote on X. “Matt Kuchar has made $59.8 million in his career. Cannot believe I’m typing any of these words.”