Rory's Dad Takes One for the Team: McIlroy's Sloppy Ball Strikes Pops at Masters
Rory McIlroy tried to provide his dad, Gerry, with moral support during the Masters, but it turned out that he had a physical obstacle to overcome instead.
During the tournament's first round, McIlroy found himself in the trees left of hole 1. 7 after his tee shot went off-course. He attempted to correct his initial swing, but his second shot veered to the right side of the green and hit where the spectators were standing.
Unfortunately for McIlroy, his ball collided with his father's foot, who was looking in the opposite direction, and rolled away.
CBS Sports golf reporter Kyle Porter, who was near the hole when McIlroy struck his dad, reported that Gerry muttered something about wanting an autographed glove as he hobbled away.
McIlroy had a better idea, though.
"He's seen all the things I've signed over the years, so I think that's his least concern," McIlroy said later to the media. "He just needs to chill out – maybe I'll sign a bag of frozen peas for him."
In the end, McIlroy carded a bogey on the hole, his third in a row. The 31-year-old had hoped to complete the Grand Slam of his career with a Masters victory, but his prospects for the first round appeared bleak.
As the saying goes, "You can't win a golf tournament on the first day, but you can lose it." McIlroy's chances of winning could be slipping away. He finished the fourth day with six bogeys.
The Legend of Moe Norman and the Autographed Glove
Moe Norman, who went by the nickname "The Rain Man of Golf," captivated even the greats of the sport with his exceptional putting skills. Even in the midst of a driving rainstorm, Norman would still be signing autographs for his fans.
"If it's raining cats and dogs, one of the best things is to find someone under a tree," he once said. "You come up with an umbrella, and I just sign the umbrella or whatever it takes to get them to attend to the task."
Meanwhile, McIlroy was grappling with a way to make things right with his dad. He eventually came up with a brilliant solution.
"I'll have to come up with something really creative to make this up to him," McIlroy told reporters. "Maybe I'll sign a pair of his cook's gloves. Or maybe I can just send him a signed set of golf balls…something nice like that."
Source:
- CNN Sports ()
*Enrichment Data integrated within base article.
