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CNN
7 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
‘The most ridiculous thing I've ever seen': Resurgent Rory McIlroy left incredulous after bizarrely hitting two balls at once
As the latest inductee into one of sport's 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 'Oh my God' that followed the subsequent swipe of his wedge was McIlroy's response to his effort falling short of the green, but the world No. 2's attention quickly turned to the ball, somehow, at his feet. Miraculously, his swing had inadvertently popped up a second ball submerged below his played one in the Dunluce Links soil. 'Oh my goodness … That's got to be a first hasn't it?' exclaimed three-time Open winner Nick Faldo on the Sky Sports Golf broadcast. 'He was very fortunate to miss the ferns and the wild rose bushes but then he lands on an old golf ball … what a story.' 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 'honestly' didn't know what happened on the 11th. 'That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange.' 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. 'It's one of the largest roars I've ever heard on a golf course,' 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. 'He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise … He's just so solid, he doesn't make mistakes,' McIlroy said. 'He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do.' 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 'Rory, Rory, Rory' ringing out through rain and shine, even after a steady start of 70 and 69. 'Absolutely incredible out there. The atmosphere has been electric all day,' McIlroy told Sky Sports. 'An absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans. I've tried my best. I try my best every week, but I'm really just trying to hang in there and stay in it.'
CNN
7 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
‘The most ridiculous thing I've ever seen': Resurgent Rory McIlroy left incredulous after bizarrely hitting two balls at once
As the latest inductee into one of sport's 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 'Oh my God' that followed the subsequent swipe of his wedge was McIlroy's response to his effort falling short of the green, but the world No. 2's attention quickly turned to the ball, somehow, at his feet. Miraculously, his swing had inadvertently popped up a second ball submerged below his played one in the Dunluce Links soil. 'Oh my goodness … That's got to be a first hasn't it?' exclaimed three-time Open winner Nick Faldo on the Sky Sports Golf broadcast. 'He was very fortunate to miss the ferns and the wild rose bushes but then he lands on an old golf ball … what a story.' 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 'honestly' didn't know what happened on the 11th. 'That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange.' 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. 'It's one of the largest roars I've ever heard on a golf course,' 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. 'He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise … He's just so solid, he doesn't make mistakes,' McIlroy said. 'He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do.' 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 'Rory, Rory, Rory' ringing out through rain and shine, even after a steady start of 70 and 69. 'Absolutely incredible out there. The atmosphere has been electric all day,' McIlroy told Sky Sports. 'An absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans. I've tried my best. I try my best every week, but I'm really just trying to hang in there and stay in it.'
CNN
7 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
‘The most ridiculous thing I've ever seen': Resurgent Rory McIlroy left incredulous after bizarrely hitting two balls at once
As the latest inductee into one of sport's 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 'Oh my God' that followed the subsequent swipe of his wedge was McIlroy's response to his effort falling short of the green, but the world No. 2's attention quickly turned to the ball, somehow, at his feet. Miraculously, his swing had inadvertently popped up a second ball submerged below his played one in the Dunluce Links soil. 'Oh my goodness … That's got to be a first hasn't it?' exclaimed three-time Open winner Nick Faldo on the Sky Sports Golf broadcast. 'He was very fortunate to miss the ferns and the wild rose bushes but then he lands on an old golf ball … what a story.' 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 'honestly' didn't know what happened on the 11th. 'That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange.' 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. 'It's one of the largest roars I've ever heard on a golf course,' 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. 'He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise … He's just so solid, he doesn't make mistakes,' McIlroy said. 'He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do.' 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 'Rory, Rory, Rory' ringing out through rain and shine, even after a steady start of 70 and 69. 'Absolutely incredible out there. The atmosphere has been electric all day,' McIlroy told Sky Sports. 'An absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans. I've tried my best. I try my best every week, but I'm really just trying to hang in there and stay in it.'
CNA
a day ago
- Sport
- CNA
Fabulous Fitzpatrick fuels English hopes at Open after dazzling 66
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland :Matt Fitzpatrick raised hopes of a first English winner of the British Open for 33 years with a masterful five-under-par 66 to move second at the halfway point at Royal Portrush on Friday. Many have come close since Nick Faldo lifted the Claret Jug for the third time in 1992, with the likes of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood all falling just short. When Fitzpatrick curled a 23-foot par-saving putt into the hole at the 18th in late evening sunshine, it kept him top of the leaderboard on nine under and although he was dislodged by Scottie Scheffler he will head into the weekend with high hopes. "Giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there's still a hell of a long way to go," the Sheffield-born world number 59 Fitzpatrick told reporters. "Obviously the aim of the game is to stay in it for as long as possible and hopefully you can pull away right at the death. "I'm 50 per cent there. We'll see what the weekend brings." His weekend will start by going toe-to-toe with world number one Scheffler in the final pairing on Saturday after the American showed he meant business with a brilliant 64 on Friday, the lowest round of the week so far. It will be a formidable test for 2022 U.S. Open champion, whose best Open finish to date is a tie for 20th six years ago. Fitzpatrick, 30, said the English drought does not add any pressure on his shoulders, insisting three-time major winner Scheffler will be expected now to go on and claim his Open triumph. "He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. He's an exceptional player. He's world number one," Fitzpatrick said. "We're seeing Tiger-like stuff. "I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament. For me obviously I hope I'm going to have some more home support than him, but it's an exciting position for me to be in given where I was earlier this year." Fitzpatrick has not won since 2023 but after a slow start to this season appears to have emerged from his slump. He finished eighth at the PGA Championship and recorded top-10 placings in his last two events, including fourth at the Scottish Open last week. A first-round 67 gave Fitzpatrick a share of the overnight lead and on Friday he got on a roll with eight birdies firing right into contention. "I felt like every facet of my game was on today and I felt like I really played solid," he said. "To take advantage of the opportunities I had out there was obviously really positive."
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Fabulous Fitzpatrick fuels English hopes at Open after dazzling 66
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland, July 18 (Reuters) - Matt Fitzpatrick raised hopes of a first English winner of the British Open for 33 years with a masterful five-under-par 66 to move second at the halfway point at Royal Portrush on Friday. Many have come close since Nick Faldo lifted the Claret Jug for the third time in 1992, with the likes of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood all falling just short. When Fitzpatrick curled a 23-foot par-saving putt into the hole at the 18th in late evening sunshine, it kept him top of the leaderboard on nine under and although he was dislodged by Scottie Scheffler he will head into the weekend with high hopes. "Giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there's still a hell of a long way to go," the Sheffield-born world number 59 Fitzpatrick told reporters. "Obviously the aim of the game is to stay in it for as long as possible and hopefully you can pull away right at the death. "I'm 50% there. We'll see what the weekend brings." His weekend will start by going toe-to-toe with world number one Scheffler in the final pairing on Saturday after the American showed he meant business with a brilliant 64 on Friday, the lowest round of the week so far. It will be a formidable test for 2022 U.S. Open champion, whose best Open finish to date is a tie for 20th six years ago. Fitzpatrick, 30, said the English drought does not add any pressure on his shoulders, insisting three-time major winner Scheffler will be expected now to go on and claim his Open triumph. "He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. He's an exceptional player. He's world number one," Fitzpatrick said. "We're seeing Tiger-like stuff. "I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament. For me obviously I hope I'm going to have some more home support than him, but it's an exciting position for me to be in given where I was earlier this year." Fitzpatrick has not won since 2023 but after a slow start to this season appears to have emerged from his slump. He finished eighth at the PGA Championship and recorded top-10 placings in his last two events, including fourth at the Scottish Open last week. A first-round 67 gave Fitzpatrick a share of the overnight lead and on Friday he got on a roll with eight birdies firing right into contention. "I felt like every facet of my game was on today and I felt like I really played solid," he said. "To take advantage of the opportunities I had out there was obviously really positive."
