Watch Rory McIlroy SMASH HIS DRIVER into the ground after wayward tee shot

Rory McIlroy was filmed letting frustration get the better of him during the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods.

Ben Smith

20 Feb 2023

Watch Rory McIlroy SMASH HIS DRIVER into the ground after wayward tee shot

Rory McIlroy was filmed letting frustration get the better of him during the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational.

For a player with McIlroy's lofty standards, it was a week to forget for the 33-year-old Ulsterman.

Things didn't get off to a great start for McIlroy when the announcer got it all wrong on the first tee box.

Granted, he later took home a cheque for $134,000 at the elevated Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods.

But in the end he finished as many as 13 strokes behind winner Jon Rahm, who finally moved back to the top spot in the OWGR.

McIlroy has been in fine form for the better part of the last 18 months. But things just didn't go his way at Riviera.

Particularly, on the greens, where he ranked 66th in the Strokes Gained: Putting department.

The four-time major champ lost as many as -4.785 strokes to the rest of the field in this regard. Put simply, nothing was dropping.

McIlroy was also filmed angrily smashing his TaylorMade Stealth into the ground after seeing one of his drives not go the way he had envisaged.

Watch here:

What’s your go-to response when you get mad on a golf course?
(: PipDenny / Reddit) pic.twitter.com/mCDrdwbLfq
— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) February 19, 2023

Some commented that had this moment involved any other player ~~Patrick Reed~~ then this clip would have got more attention.

I've got to be perfectly honest and say that I don't really mind outbursts like this from anyone. Passion is good.

What do you think? Don't hesitate to Tweet us with your thoughts.

Also, a shoutout to English pro Eddie Pepperell who chimed in with an hilarious comment when influencer Mark Crossfield asked his followers if McIlroy's short outburst was okay.

"No," wrote Pepperell.

"It's a 3-wood all day long on that hole."

McIlroy later described his week as "slow and pedestrian". But he said he felt as though there wasn't anything technically wrong.

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He told the media:

"I think from like inside five or six feet I've been really good, it's just outside of that range I haven't really got a lot to drop. For me, I think that means more just reading the greens properly rather than anything technical, which is a good thing."

McIlroy finished T-29 at the Genesis Invitational. His next event is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

That will be played over 2-5 March. The tournament also has elevated status, meaning that it will also carry another huge prize purse of $20m.

Next page: Rory McIlroy defended by Max Homa