Rory McIlroy wasn’t happy with his round on No. 17 on Friday – and he let it be known.
X: NBC
Tensions seem to be running high BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado.
Scottie Scheffler made headlines for an uncharacteristic outburst of anger after misjudging a wedge shot on Friday, and Rory McIlroy has his frustrations manifest in physical form, resulting in him throwing a stick into the water.
On the par-5 17th hole at Castle Pines, which requires carrying water directly in front of the tee, McIlroy opted to hit a fairway wood. The shot traveled 294 yards to the right side of the fairway. As two voices called “Forward!” McIlroy retreated from his last position and coolly tossed his ball straight into the water, creating a visible splash.
While simply missing the fairway off the tee doesn’t seem like a punishable offense for McIlroy’s 3-wood, the broadcast team provided some context. McIlroy is just three bogeys from 45 feet on the previous hole, the par-3 16th – his second bogey of the day. And on No. 17, a reachable par-5, hitting a drive into the rough isn’t ideal if a player wants to get a good look at birdie or better.
Like Scheffler, whose audible blast on Friday followed a water ball and a misjudged wedge from the drop zone, there was more than one factor at play in McIlroy’s club hitting the water.
Fortunately for McIlroy, the club did not completely submerge and was recoverable at the water’s edge. After picking up his tee, McIlroy calmly collected the club and handed it to his caddy. He managed to split the hole as well.
At three under par overall, McIlroy is currently T15 at the BMW halfway point, and if his position does not improve over the next two rounds, he is currently projected to drop from No. 5 to No. 8 in FedEx Cup standings headed to next week’s tournament championship at East Lake.
