Newtown Square (United States) (AFP) – Rory McIlroy yelled an obscenity at a heckler who disturbed his shotmaking at a crucial moment in Sunday’s final round of the PGA Championship. The heckler struck while McIlroy was in his backswing on a chip shot from the rough at the par-five 16th hole, and as a result, his ball plunked into a greenside bunker. McIlroy used an expletive as he told the fan to “shut up” and, according to multiple reports, asked security to have the heckler removed from the grounds at Aronimink.
The incident echoed McIlroy’s turbulent Ryder Cup campaign last year, when he was targeted for relentless abuse by hecklers during Europe’s victory at Bethpage Black. World number two McIlroy blasted out of the sand to within five feet of the hole and sank his par putt at 16, but a crucial birdie opportunity went by the wayside. McIlroy, who won his sixth major title last month at the Masters, closed with two more pars to fire a one-under par 69 and finish on four-under 276 for 72 holes.
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That was five strokes adrift of winner Aaron Rai of England, who birdied for of the last holes — including 16 — to shoot a 65. McIlroy said after the round that he will not compete again until the PGA Tour Memorial tournament in three weeks, a tuneup for next month’s US Open at Shinnecock. McIlroy said a key to his defeat was settling for pars on the par-five ninth and 16th holes and making a bogey at the driveable par-four 13th.
“I felt like I played the golf I needed to play the rest of the way,” McIlroy said. “If I birdied the two par-fives and turned that five into a three on 13, the day looks very different.”
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