Rory McIlroy made a strong start to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth despite a bizarre incident that saw him lose the clubhead of his iron when hitting an approach into the green at the par 5 12th hole.
On McIlroy’s second shot from 179 yards from the middle of the fairway, the clubhead flew off the shaft but did not affect the shot, his approach coming to seven feet and he two-putted for birdie.
It was one of seven birdies in an impressive five-under-par 67, even if it ended up with a bogey at the 18th hole after a wild second shot that went out of bounds.
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s ever happened to me before. It was a bit of a weird feeling. I hit, and you know, obviously you’re expecting the weight of the club to just pull through and there was nothing there,” McIlroy said.
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“Thankfully the ball went where I wanted it to. It could have been a lot worse but thankfully got it repaired and it should be okay to go tomorrow.”
In another unusual incident, the world number three had to use his putter backwards from the fringe of the green after his ball nestled right at the water at the eighth hole. He two-putted from 30 feet for par.
“Hopefully no more left-handed this week,” he said. “It was up against the sort of collar there where that water hazard is on the 8th hole, and didn’t really have a stance hitting it right-handed.
“Hit a left-handed putt. Did a decent job. At least I got the speed pretty much correct. I didn’t get the line right, but knocked that one in, made par and very swiftly moved to the 9th tee, pretty happy.”
McIlroy’s 67 was matched by Shane Lowry, the 2022 champion, and the Offaly man also had an eventful 12th hole, holing a 26-foot putt for eagle. Lowry had four other birdies, including one at the last hole, his single drop shot coming at the 13th. Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, is also on five under.
Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard leads in the clubhouse on six-under-par after a 66.
Tom McKibbin is two under after the opening round after an up-and-down round of six birdies and four bogeys. Pádraig Harrington is one under after his opening round, with Simon Thornton two over.
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