Rory McIlroy accidentally hits himself in the face with club as he fails to make Open cut

Rory McIlroy had a disastrous outing at The Open, failing to make the cut at Royal Troon. The Northern Irishman, who aimed for his fifth major victory, saw his hopes dashed with a disappointing performance over two days.

McIlroy carded a dismal seven-over-par in the opening round, placing him 126th. His second day didn’t improve; he played the first five holes at five over, dropping to 12-over-par, including a triple-bogey 8 at the par-five fourth. McIlroy’s struggles continued, culminating in a moment where he accidentally hit his face with his club on the 17th hole. He finished the tournament at 11-over-par, in 125th place, well outside the top 70 cut.
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In contrast, Irishman Shane Lowry led the field at seven-under-par. McIlroy’s failure at The Open follows his heartbreak at the US Open, where he lost a two-shot lead in the final four holes, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to claim victory. Reflecting on his US Open loss, McIlroy remarked, “It’s something that’s been a bit of a theme throughout my career. I’ve been able to take those tough moments and turn them into great things not very long after that.”

Adding to the disappointment, Tiger Woods also missed the cut, finishing 143rd and announcing a break from the sport. Scotland’s Bob McIntyre similarly failed to make the cut.

McIlroy’s former agent, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, speculated that McIlroy’s ‘messy’ life might be affecting his performance. Chandler noted McIlroy’s involvement in the PGA Tour’s battle with LIV Golf, media scrutiny, and personal issues as potential distractions.

McIlroy’s last major win was the 2014 PGA Championship, adding to his victories at the 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship, and 2014 Open Championship.