Advertisement

'What are the odds': Rory McIlroy hits dad in nightmare Masters round

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·2-min read
Rory McIlroy (pictured left) hitting a shot at The Masters and the ball hitting his father, Gerry, (pictured right).
Rory McIlroy (pictured left) hit his father, Gerry, (pictured right) on the 7th hole at the Augusta National on Day 1. (Images: PGA Tour)

Rory McIlroy didn't have the best start to his Masters quest after sitting at 2-over heading into the 7th hole, but things went from bad to worse after somehow hitting his father watching on from the side.

The Northern Irishman was looking to set up a nice approach shot on the 7th and picked out a marker.

'UNSAFE': Investigators finally reveal cause of Tiger Woods crash

'OBSOLETE': Bryson DeChambeau's brutal plan of attack for Masters glory

A man wearing a white golf shirt and blue shorts.

Standing at the tall pines to the left of the fairway, McIlroy hit his ball with pinpoint accuracy.

But he hit his approach shot too well and clobbered a man on the leg.

Incredibly, that man was his father, Gerry.

"In fairness, it was where I was trying to turn it off," McIlroy said.

"It was a perfect shot — it was dead straight. I think he was OK. He didn't limp away, he walked away pretty swiftly."

The former world No.1 had at least shouted the traditional warning of "Fore" and Gerry was able to see the funny side, joking with reporters: "I should ask for an autographed glove."

"I think he just needs to go put some ice on it," McIlroy said after his round.

"Maybe I'll autograph a bag of frozen peas for him."

Tough day for McIlroy at The Masters

McIlroy didn't fare much better after the 7th hole.

The Northern Irishman joined a list of big names to finish 4-over 76 on Day 1 at the 85th Masters.

McIlroy needs to win the Masters to complete a career grand slam but has struggled for form recently and has started consulting coach Pete Cowen on a formal basis.

The 31-year-old's last major title came in the 2014 US PGA Championship and he is without a win of any description since November 2019.

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

with AAP

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.