Rory McIlroy once threw his 3-wood in frustration and broke it at the 2016 British Open at Royal Troon, and he also angrily threw his club into the lake on the eighth hole of the 2015 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Doral, but the club damage that occurred during the DP World Tour BMW Championship on Thursday was not his fault.
On his second shot on the par-5 12th hole at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, he hit the ball off the fairway with an iron, and as the ball rose into the air, the club head flew out of the end of the shaft and rolled onto the fairway.
As McIlroy watched in shock and disbelief as the club broke, the ball landed on the mound to the right of the hole, was kicked to the left and finally landed about 10 feet from the hole.
McIlroy missed the eagle putt but made birdie on the hole.
Clearly, he did not break the club out of frustration or anger, so the rules of golf allow him to replace the club during play.
Irons are glued to golf clubs with a very strong epoxy. During the telecast, McIlroy could be heard saying that all of his irons were “re-glued” during last month's Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
McIlroy will most likely take the club head that flew off the fairway to a repair shop to have it refitted with a shaft that meets his specifications. Repairing and rebuilding the club could easily be completed before McIlroy starts his tournament on Friday.
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