LAS VEGAS — Justin Thomas admitted the American Ryder Cup team was in such dire straights that Rory McIlroy’s outburst at Patrick Cantlay’s caddie gave them an unexpected boost.
The Irishman erupted at Joe LaCava — and recently called Cantlay a “d–k” — over the incident at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club during the famed tournament in September.
“It gave us a little spark, selfishly, for the team,” Thomas, 30, told The Post at the inaugural Netflix Cup this week.
“We were just happy to have something positive happen,” he added, referring to the team’s lack of performance.
Despite the added spark, Europe held on for the Ryder Cup after defeating the U.S. 16.5 – 11.5.
On the 18th hole, LaCava waved his cap enthusiastically in the air as a response to European fans who critiqued Cantlay, 31, for not wearing the U.S. team cap throughout the event.
Cantlay had just made a clutch putt to put his team in position to win a full point.
The behavior didn’t sit right with McIlroy, 34, who was lining up his putt to tie the match.
It eventually led to a parking lot confrontation with Thomas’ caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay.
“We were getting our butts kicked so bad, it was legitimately the first real kind of positive thing we had all week, so naturally we were enjoying it,” Thomas told us.
“We don’t have stuff like that happen very often in golf.”
McIlroy addressed the dustup in an interview with the Irish Independent earlier this week.
“Here’s what angered me: my relationship with Cantlay is average at best. We don’t have a ton in common and see the world quite differently,” he explained.
“And they’re trying to defuse the situation, but I start having a go at them,” McIlroy said of the parking lot row, in which he had to be restrained after crossing paths with several Americans, including Mackay.
“‘Joe LaCava used to be a nice guy when he was caddying for Tiger [Woods], and now he’s caddying for that d–k he’s turned into a … I still wasn’t in a great headspace.”
Even Woods reached out in an attempt to ease some tensions.
“I sent him a quick message,” McIlroy added. “‘It will be fine … long day … just want to go to bed.’”