Rory McIlroy loses his cool at The Open as Sky Sports forced to apologise

Irish Daily Mirror

19-07-2025

Rory McIlroy couldn't keep his cool on live TV during The Open, leading Sky Sports to issue a prompt apology. The Northern Irish golfer, vying for his second Claret Jug, let his frustration show after a wayward approach shot on the 15th hole.
The commentators were quick to apologise to viewers as McIlroy's irritation became evident. The incident unfolded during his second round, where he played alongside Ryder Cup colleague Tommy Fleetwood and former world number one Justin Thomas.
McIlroy's excellent tee shot on the 15th was followed by a disappointing second shot that didn't make it to the green, resulting in the slip-up.
"Ahh, I [inaudible] the f*** out of it," McIlroy could be heard muttering, with the nearby microphones picking up his words, reports the Mirror.
Sky Sports' Laura Davies commented on the mishap, saying: "That's a mistake, such a shame after the tee shot gave him the shot where he can hit spin. You'd have thought he might have tried to land it just beyond it, but that's not an easy up and down, though very doable for him, he's so good."
Her co-commentator Andrew Coltart then said: "An apology for the language from Rory earlier on."
Earlier this year, McIlroy secured the career Grand Slam with a thrilling playoff win at the Masters, and now he's under immense pressure at Royal Portrush, where he once set a course record of 61 as a young golfer in 2005.
McIlroy has previously discussed the emotional toll of playing on home turf, particularly following a disappointing performance at this venue in 2019, where an initial triple bogey dashed his hopes early on.
This year, he entered the tournament in fine form, having tied for second place at the Genesis Scottish Open, narrowly missing out to Chris Gotterup.
While not topping the leaderboard, McIlroy's game has been steady. After handling the challenging first-round conditions well, he followed up with a respectable 69 in the second round, keeping him within reach of the leaders.
Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and recent PGA Championship winner, is also in the running, along with Brian Harman, while defending champion Xander Schauffele and 2019 victor Shane Lowry are hot on their heels.
However, McIlroy remains a fan favourite, with many hoping he can secure a sixth major trophy - and his first Claret Jug since 2014.
With the final rounds yet to be played, McIlroy's challenge will be to balance his ambition with the weight of expectation. All eyes in Portrush are on him, waiting to see if his determination can drive him to a memorable victory on home ground.