Bizarre moment at the Crown Australian Open: Rory McIlroy finds his ball under a banana peel and makes double bogey.
Rory McIlroy experienced an unusual twist during the third round of the Crown Australian Open on the DP World Tour in southeastern Australia. After a modest 68 on Friday, the world number two hoped for a better Saturday. However, on the second hole, things took a strange turn. Following a par on the first, McIlroy’s tee shot on the second hole veered far right into a bush. Upon locating his ball, he discovered it nestled under a banana peel and a tuft of grass.
Because the banana peel was considered a loose impediment resting on the ball, McIlroy could not remove it without potentially moving the ball, which would have resulted in a penalty. He opted to play the ball as it lay, leading to a double bogey on the hole.
McIlroy explains the banana incident
Speaking after the round, McIlroy described the moment: ‘It was kind of a double whammy – it was in the thick grass and under a banana peel… It was a loose impediment resting on the ball. If I had moved the peel, the ball would have moved too, so I didn’t even try. I probably shouldn’t have gone over there in the first place, but yeah, I wasn’t great from the start.’
The incident quickly gained attention online, with the DP World Tour sharing a video of the moment on social media, sparking reactions from fans and commentators alike.
McIlroy’s position heading into the final round
Despite the setback, McIlroy managed to finish the round with six birdies and another bogey, placing him tied for 24th ahead of the final round on Sunday at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The origin of the banana peel remains a mystery.