AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy had a tough day.
It was a little tougher for his father.
McIlroy hit his father with a wayward shot on the seventh hole in the opening round of the Masters on Thursday. McIlroy finished with a 4-over-par 76. He bogeyed three consecutive holes, Nos. 5-7, the last being the most painful. At least to his father, Gerry.
McIlroy said he was aiming at his father, but didn’t intend for the result, a blow to the leg.
“In fairness I was trying to turn it off,” McIlroy said of trying to shape his shot. “It was a perfect shot; it was dead straight. But I think he was OK. He didn’t limp away. He walked away pretty swiftly, so that was all right.”
It is customary for a player who hits a spectator to give a signed glove to the recipient of the painful encounter. In this case, frozen vegetables might have to do.
“He’s seen me sign plenty of stuff over the years, so I think that’s the least of his worries,” McIlroy said. “I think he just needs to go and put some ice on — maybe I’ll autograph a bag of frozen peas for him.”
