Rory McIlroy experienced one of golf's most peculiar moments during the third round of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush when he inadvertently struck two balls with a single swing at the 11th hole.
The Northern Irishman had driven into the rough and was playing his second shot from what appeared to be a reasonable lie.
As McIlroy's wedge made contact with his ball from approximately 140 yards, an old golf ball that had been buried beneath the turf suddenly emerged and bounced up at his feet, leaving the four-time major champion visibly stunned by the extraordinary occurrence.
The 36-year-old picked up the unexpected ball whilst his own TaylorMade TP5 was still airborne, examining it with bewilderment before showing it to spectators and his caddie.
Sky Sports
|Rory McIlroy hit two balls at the same time in an outrageous shot
"I have another golf ball," McIlroy said with a smile, according to witnesses at the scene.
The unearthed ball was identified as an old Titleist No.4, likely lost by a member during a previous round. McIlroy tossed it aside with a chuckle before continuing play.
Spectators expressed their amazement at the unusual incident, with one fan remarking they had "never seen that before" whilst another described it as "the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on a golf course."
The peculiar moment proved costly for McIlroy's scorecard. His approach shot fell well short of the green, and after chipping up short of the pin, he missed his par attempt from 20 feet.
The bogey marked his first dropped shot of the round, halting the momentum he had built with three birdies in his opening four holes.
At that point, McIlroy dropped to five under par for the championship, leaving him seven shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
The incident occurred as McIlroy was attempting to mount a charge on moving day at his home Open Championship.
Despite the setback at the 11th, McIlroy demonstrated his resilience with an impressive recovery.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS BEFORE?! 🤯
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) July 19, 2025
A second ball appears as Rory McIlroy plays his shot 😱 pic.twitter.com/iQX29qxc69
The world number two produced a spectacular 56-foot eagle at the par-5 13th hole, followed by a birdie at the 15th.
His third round had begun promisingly with birdies at three of the first four holes, suggesting the local favourite was poised for a significant charge up the leaderboard on Saturday afternoon.
The bizarre incident at the 11th temporarily disrupted his rhythm, but McIlroy's ability to bounce back with the eagle showcased the form that has brought him four major championships during his illustrious career.
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