Rory McIlroy drives par-4 green while miffed pro is lining up putt

At this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Rory McIlroy has a lot going on. From playing alongside the head honchos of the PGA Tour and PIF, to yucking it up with his father and playing partner Gerry McIlroy, distractions abound.
 
Those distractions may have got the best of the four-time major champion at one point during Friday’s second round, when McIlroy set up an eagle try with a monstrous drive and ticked off a fellow Tour pro in the process.

Playing the short par-4 14th hole at Kingsbarns on Friday, McIlroy decided to pull driver and attempt to reach the green well over 300 yards ahead of him.
 
And he did it. The star from Northern Ireland laced a perfect tee shot that bounced just in front of the green and rolled onto the putting surface, setting up a mid-range eagle putt.
 
One problem, though. The green wasn’t clear.
 
Robert McIntyre, playing in the group ahead of McIlroy’s, was lining up his own putt on 14 when McIlroy’s ball plopped on the green and rolled by him.
 
And the Scottish pro didn’t seem pleased by the faux pas. MacIntyre stood up, turned around and faced the tee box while the broadcasters noted his unhappiness with the situation.
 
You can check out a video of the moment shared on X below.

But all’s well the ends well. Both McIlroy, who ended the day at six under, and MacIntyre, who finished at five under, ended up making birdies at the 14th.

Kevin Cunningham

Golf.com Editor

As managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also helps keep GOLF.com humming outside the news-breaking stories and service content provided by our reporters and writers, and works with the tech team in the development of new products and innovative ways to deliver an engaging site to our audience.