CNN
—
One other day, one other exhibit of mind-boggling golf wizardry from Rory McIlroy.
Even within the midst of an underwhelming opening spherical on the Waste Administration Phoenix Open in Arizona on Thursday, the world No.1 discovered a means so as to add one other slide to his near-endless spotlight reel of outstanding photographs.
Again-to-back bogeys both aspect of the flip at TPC Scottsdale had seen the Northern Irishman arrive at his eleventh gap at one-over par, and his woes had been instantly compounded when his booming, 337-yard tee drive went crusing over the trail working down the fitting aspect of the golf green.
The ball’s last resting place, lodged within the filth near a steel fence, made for grim viewing. With seemingly minimal room to swing, most golfers would have doubtless simply settled for getting again on the golf green.
However as he has proven time and time once more, McIlroy will not be most golfers. With a chop of his pitching wedge, the four-time main winner punched his shot by way of a hall of spectators and bushes, the ball deciding on the inexperienced simply over 40 toes from the opening.
Incredulous gasps from the onlooking crowd had been mirrored on social media, with the PGA Tour tweeting a video of the shot captioned: “Are you kidding[?]”
“Rory McIlroy has simply performed a shot that I’d have been pretty sure was unattainable,” tweeted Sky Sports activities golf reporter Jamie Weir.
McIlroy subsequently tapped in for 4 to stroll away with par, an final result he was more than pleased with given the precarious place he had discovered himself in.
“It seemed like I didn’t have a backswing, however I didn’t understand the angle, like how far proper the inexperienced truly was,” the 33-year-old advised reporters.
“I received fortunate with the tee shot that I had a swing, however I hit an ideal shot and was delighted to stroll away with a par,” he added.
A fourth bogey of the day on his sixteenth gap noticed McIlroy card a two-over 73, leaving him tied for 82nd and 7 photographs adrift of Canadian main pair Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, who impressed amid windy circumstances in Scottsdale.
Having began 2023 with an emotionally charged victory on the Hero Dubai Desert Traditional, McIlroy is trying to prolong a outstanding run of seven consecutive high 4 finishes throughout DP World Tour and PGA Tour occasions.
The world No. 1 is within the type of his profession, and is aware of it. Requested forward of the event if he looks like he’s the perfect participant on the planet, McIlroy was succinct.
“Sure,” he replied.
Pushed to broaden, McIlroy continued: “As a result of I do. I’m taking part in properly. I really feel like consistency-wise, I’ve been pretty much as good as I’ve been ever in my profession.
“I stated on the finish of final yr, I really feel like as full of a participant as I ever have. In the event you simply have a look at my statistical classes, there’s no actual obvious weaknesses there. I’ve labored actually onerous on that, to attempt to turn into a extra well-rounded participant.”
