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Watch: Rory McIlroy Hits Shot From Rough, Another Ball Pops Up

The Northern Irishman had a moment rarely seen in golf on the 11th hole Saturday at the British Open, generating chuckles from the gallery.

Max Schreiber

Rory McIlroy hit a shot Saturday at the British Open and another ball popped up.
Rory McIlroy hit a shot Saturday at the British Open and another ball popped up. / x.com/TheOpen

Don’t see this very often—if ever. 

On Royal Portrush’s par-4 11th, Rory McIlroy sliced his tee shot. Then, when the Northern Irishman hit his approach, a second ball popped out immediately after making contact with his. 

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It looked like a magic trick. 

"I honestly don't know [what happened]," McIlroy said after his round. "That is the most
weird, ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange."

McIlroy picked it up, perplexed by what just happened, with his several chuckles from his hometown gallery. 

The world No. 2 bogeyed the hole, but gained two strokes back on the par-5 12th with a 56-foot eagle putt. 

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Max Schreiber
MAX SCHREIBER

Max Schreiber is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, covering golf. Before joining SI in October 2024, the Mahwah, N.J., native, worked as an associate editor for the Golf Channel and wrote for RyderCup.com and FanSided. He is a multiplatform producer for Newsday and has a bachelor's in communications and journalism from Quinnipiac University. In his free time, you can find him doing anything regarding the Yankees, Giants, Knicks and Islanders.

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