While sizing up his second shot on the No. 7 fairway at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday, Rory McIlroy zeroed in on a target: an older man in a white golf shirt and blue shorts who was standing next to the green.
McIlroy, who finished his first round at Augusta National with a 4-over 76, struck the shot too accurately for his own good and ended up hitting the man in the leg with his golf ball.
As it turns out, the man was his father, Gerry.
“In fairness, it was where I was trying to turn it off,” McIlroy told reporters afterward. “Perfect shot, it was dead straight. I think he was okay. He didn’t limp away, he walked away pretty swiftly, so that was all right.”
McIlroy wound up making bogey on the hole, his third in a row at the time.
“I should ask for an autographed glove,” the elder McIlroy joked to reporters as he limped away after being struck by the ball, according to CBS reporter Kyle Porter.
McIlroy will attempt to get back under par and make the cut when he takes his second trip around Augusta National on Friday afternoon. He’ll start his round tied for 56th place.
Though he is far off the lead, McIlroy still has hopes of winning a green jacket at Augusta and becoming just the sixth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam.
“My goal is to play well and at least give myself a chance,” McIlroy said. “I mean, honestly I’m quite encouraged with how I hit it on the way in. I hit some loose shots out there, but after hitting the 6-iron in the water on 13, I hit some really good shots coming in, so I’m encouraged by that.”
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