Golf World Erupts As Rory McIlroy Does The Unexpected After Fan Triggers Pro’s Masters Collapse
Has it really been over 10 years since that unforgettable moment at Augusta National? The moment would shape Rory McIlroy’s career and alter the course of Masters history forever. Back in 2011, a young, determined McIlroy, just 21 years old, was on the verge of his first major championship victory. So what happened? Well, after a strong opening round of 65 and a steady 69 on Friday, he surged into a commanding four-shot lead heading into Sunday. But in that final round, it all unraveled so quickly.
What started as a bad drive turned into a nightmare—a ricochet off a tree, a poor chip, and a heartbreaking triple-bogey. By the time McIlroy reached the 12th hole, six strokes had vanished in just three holes. The dream he had built over three days quickly crumbled as he watched his lead slip away. He ended up finishing a distant 10 shots behind, a devastating blow to his confidence and spirit. “I’ll get over it,” he said with a brave face. But behind those words, tears were falling. The next day, he was on the phone to his mum, heartbroken but already vowing to bounce back. Little did we know that this moment would fuel McIlroy’s fire for years to come.
He will be seen competing at The PLAYERS Championship in just a few hours. During his practice round at the TPC Sawgrass, as reported by NUCLR Golf, a fan yelled, “Just like 2011 at Augusta” after the 4x major winner hit his first ball in the drink during a practice round. So, what did the golfer do? After his second shot, the Irishman went over & took the fan’s phone. Yup, he just went to the fan and said, “Can I see your phone”? He then took it and LITERALLY walked away with his looper.
🚨🫴📱#WATCH — A fan shouted “just like 2011 at Augusta” after Rory McIlroy hit his first ball in the drink during a practice round…after his second shot Rory went over & took the fan’s phone: “Can I see your phone”😲 @TrackingRory
(Via: @gabinus_ganix) pic.twitter.com/E5OuTe3aYx
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 12, 2025
The golf world was left flabbergasted by this play and was utterly confused as to what exactly happened.
The Golf World questions Rory McIlroy’s move
The fans were curious to know what the Northern Irishman would do with the fan’s phone. For a comment on him, would he keep the phone or throw it away? Taking to this, people left comments like, “What the play here? Keep the phone? Throw it? It looks like Rory doesn’t know what to do next,” and “Why did he take his phone?” Looks like Shooter McGavin has an answer to it. In his latest X post, he reported, “Rory McIlroy has told the fan he stole his phone from to meet him on the 9th green at 9 tonight and he’ll return it to him.”
Ian Poulter, along with several others, has had enough of fans yelling out absurd chants right after players make their swings at PGA Tour events. He’s frustrated with the small group of spectators who repeatedly shout these meaningless phrases, and their noise was especially noticeable during the PGA Championship. Phrases like “Mashed potatoes,” “Baba Booey,” “Chewbacca,” and the classic “Get in the Hole” seem to be their go-to calls. He, too, expressed his frustration, but virtually.
But Rory McIlroy did it live, and the fans could not have been any prouder. Taking to this, one of them commented, “Right or wrong…Rory’s move was Big Alpha on this guy. It should also spark a bigger convo on ‘fans’ thinking a ticket allows them to say anything they want—it doesn’t.”
Rory McIlroy’s impressive seven-under-par on the opening day at TPC Sawgrass last year took a backseat to the drama surrounding his score, thanks to a couple of drops that sparked debate with his playing partners. The first incident came at the 18th hole (McIlroy began on the 10th tee), where his drive landed in the water. The second occurred at the seventh hole, where his tee shot also splashed down. The controversy in both cases stemmed from uncertainty over where his ball last crossed land before entering the hazard. While the issue on No. 18 was handled amicably, the situation on No. 7 escalated into a heated exchange between McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
The live broadcast captured the entire conversation, with the two engaging in animated gestures and confused glances at the rules officials. Spieth even warned McIlroy that “everyone” saw the ball fail to cross the red line, leading McIlroy and his caddie Harry Diamond to sarcastically ask, “Who is everybody, Jordan?” Amid the banter, there was even a mention of turtles, adding a layer of absurdity to the situation. While it provided entertainment, the exchange was unnecessary and could have reflected poorly on the Tour. Taking to the history, one of the fans wrote, “Rory is always testing the law in Ponte Vedra.”
