World No. 12 Rory McIlroy finished a respectable fifth at last year’s Masters but it’s been a much different story this time around with the Irishman no lock to make the cut after carding an opening-round 76 (+4). McIlroy’s Thursday was spoiled by six bogeys with one coming on the Par-4 seventh hole. Already well off the fairway (the result of a wayward tee shot), the 31-year-old couldn’t find the green on his approach, swerving right and ultimately striking a fan's leg. Upon closer examination, the bystander he struck was actually Rory’s father, Gerry McIlroy.
Though certainly caught by surprise, the elder McIlroy didn’t appear hurt, joking afterwards that he should have asked his son for an autograph.
The slumping McIlroy has had a rough go of it recently, missing the cut at last month’s Players Championship, which he followed up with a similarly erratic performance at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin. He’ll be back on the course for Friday’s second round, teeing off at 1:48 PM ET along with groupmates Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele.
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