âThe most ridiculous thing Iâve ever seenâ: Resurgent Rory McIlroy left incredulous after bizarrely hitting two balls at once
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As the latest inductee into one of sportâs most exclusive clubs, there is little that grand slam champion Rory McIlroy has not seen in the game of golf. Then, just past the halfway mark of his Open Championship third round on Saturday, he swung.
Enjoying an excellent day in front of a vociferous home support at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the 36-year-old found himself in a spot of bother when his tee shot at the par-four 11th curved into the rough on the right of the fairway.
The âOh my Godâ that followed the subsequent swipe of his wedge was McIlroyâs response to his effort falling short of the green, but the world No. 2âs attention quickly turned to the ball, somehow, at his feet.
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Miraculously, his swing had inadvertently popped up a second ball submerged below his played one in the Dunluce Links soil.
âOh my goodness ⊠Thatâs got to be a first hasnât it?â exclaimed three-time Open winner Nick Faldo on the Sky Sports Golf broadcast.
âHe was very fortunate to miss the ferns and the wild rose bushes but then he lands on an old golf ball ⊠what a story.â
McIlroy evidently saw the funny side, holding aloft the hidden treasure with an incredulous smile even as he watched his actual shot trickle away from the green before tossing it into a nearby bush.
After the round, McIlroy said he âhonestlyâ didnât know what happened on the 11th.
âThat is the most weird, ridiculous thing Iâve ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange.â
âOne of the largest roars Iâve ever heard on a golf courseâ
Though a first bogey of the round followed, the five-time major winner immediately responded in stunning fashion to reignite a day he had begun with three birdies in four holes.
Just over 56 feet away from the par-five 12th cup, he knocked a perfectly weighted putt that rolled for more than 10 seconds before dropping in for eagle and sparking rapturous scenes in the stands behind him.
âItâs one of the largest roars Iâve ever heard on a golf course,â he remarked later.
It was the undoubted personal highlight of a day that saw McIlroy, born some 60 miles away in the small town of Holywood, keep his dream of a fairytale home Open win alive, as a five-under 66 lifted him to eight-under par overall.
That left him six strokes adrift of leader Scottie Scheffler: one shot closer than at the start of Saturday but still surely requiring an even greater performance if he is to lift his second Claret Jug.
âHeâs playing like Scottie. I donât think itâs a surprise ⊠Heâs just so solid, he doesnât make mistakes,â McIlroy said.
âHeâs turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesnât seem to be any weakness there. Whenever youâre trying to chase down a guy like that, itâs hard to do.â
Whatever the outcome, McIlroy has banished the demons of a tearful missed cut when the major returned to Royal Portrush for the first time in 68 years in 2019.
The 29-time PGA Tour winner has enjoyed phenomenal support all week on the Causeway Coast, with chants of âRory, Rory, Roryâ ringing out through rain and shine, even after a steady start of 70 and 69.
âAbsolutely incredible out there. The atmosphere has been electric all day,â McIlroy told Sky Sports.
âAn absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans. Iâve tried my best. I try my best every week, but Iâm really just trying to hang in there and stay in it.â