Rory McIlroy stunned spectators on Thursday with an incredible shot, even as his club head detached from the shaft mid-swing.
In a remarkable display of skill, McIlroy kept his composure during the par-five 12th hole at Wentworth and managed to land the ball near the green despite his 8-iron's head flying off.
Against all odds, the ball settled on the edge of the green and rolled towards the flagstick, setting McIlroy up for an eagle attempt from less than 10 feet away.
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Although the eagle putt just missed the cup's edge, McIlroy secured a birdie that saw him climb the leaderboard, tying for the lead at the BMW PGA Championship with a five-under par standing.
The equipment failure left both McIlroy and his group in disbelief. The former world number one mentioned that the club had been "reglued at East Lake" recently, while his fellow competitor, reigning Wentworth champion Ryan Fox, said it was unlike any club breakdown he'd seen firsthand.
After confidently marking a birdie on his scorecard, McIlroy handed over the faulty club to an official who quickly arranged for its repair at the TaylorMade tour truck, ensuring the top golfer was back in action without any delay.
McIlroy seized the momentum at the next hole, the par four 13th, sinking a 40ft birdie putt to take the outright lead at six-under-par.
The incident at the 12th marked an eventful opening round for McIlroy in Surrey. After a poor wedge shot landed just inches from the water, he had to address his ball left-handed and use his putter backwards at the eighth.
Rory McIlroy makes sad admission as he realises what he's been missing for last five years Golf commentators forced to apologize to viewers after furious Jordan Spieth momentImpressively, he managed to get up and down for par. McIlroy is aiming to end a challenging season on a high note. He has three wins under his belt, but narrowly missed out on potential victories at the US Open and the Irish Open.
The Northern Irishman hasn't won since his disappointing performance at Pinehurst No. 2 in June, where he lost a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau in the final five holes missing his best opportunity yet to end a 10-year major drought.
Echoes of that unfortunate Sunday in North Carolina were felt last week at Royal County Down, when a couple of careless bogeys late in his final round allowed Rasmus Hojgaard to snatch victory. However, McIlroy has bounced back impressively at Wentworth and is now in contention to win a second BMW PGA Championship.
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