Rory McIlroy has not been himself as of late.
Yes, there have been the top-13 finishes at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Workday Championship and the Arnold Palmer. But there were the missed cuts at the Genesis Invitational and the Players, and in the latter, he hit some really bad shots that he attributed to issues with his swing that he’s tinkered with as he tries to chase speeds like Bryson DeChambeau.
While facing Ian Poulter in this week’s Match Play at Austin Country Club, he struggled on No. 4. Then, he hit a tee shot on No. 5 that hooked all the way … into someone’s swimming pool.
4th Hole: 3-putt from 18 feet.
5th Hole: Tee shot finds swimming pool.@IanJamesPoulter is taking advantage of Rory McIlroy’s slow start and is 3UP thru 5. pic.twitter.com/rhnvApdGOo— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2021
Rory’s ball ended up in a pool at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
pic.twitter.com/zPssfSl4E0
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 24, 2021
Rory managed to find water on a hole with no water. OB into a neighbor’s pool. About to go 3 down through 5. pic.twitter.com/33OvfyCwOv
— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) March 24, 2021
Yikes. Not good.
UPDATE: It got worse:
Down goes Rory. @IanJamesPoulter defeats McIlroy 6&5 in Round 1 @DellMatchPlay. pic.twitter.com/H7R9wdnSET
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 24, 2021