Rory McIlroy was involved in a long debate with both Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth on the seventh hole at the Players Championship after his tee shot leaked left into the water.
The Northern Irishman had been on top form through his first 15 holes having gone eight-under par to move into the solo lead.
But his momentum was broken on the tricky seventh hole as he pushed his drive out to the left.
Footage of McIlroy's drive showed the ball from the other side of the fairway and it was seen bouncing once before it disappeared.
Rory McIlroy was asked whether he had dropped in the right place
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McIlroy and his caddie, Harry Diamond, felt confident they had found the rough spot on where the ball had bounced before it dropped into the water.
But both Hovland and Spieth weren't completely convinced whether McIlroy's tee shot had bounced beyond the out of bounds line.
McIlroy was heard replying: "I'm pretty comfortable that it did... that it landed above the red line.
He added: "I'm dropping it slightly back from where it kicked in."
Spieth and Hovland continued debating the legitimacy of the drop with a rules official also driving over to discuss it.
McIlroy stated that he "wanted to do the right thing", but felt confident that his ball did bounce in bounds before falling into the water.
The debate ended up taking around 12 minutes before McIlroy was allowed to play from where he originally dropped his ball.
It took the group just under half an hour to finish the hole, forcing Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Cantlay and Adam Scott to wait on the seventh tee.
McIlroy ended up taking a double-bogey to move him back to six-under par for the day.
Rory McIlroy's tee shot jumped into the water
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It was the second controversial drop of McIlroy's eventful round after he also found the water on the 18th before the turn.
The 34-year-old's tee shot similarly leaked left into the water and he asked both Spieth and Hovland whether the ball stayed over the water or if it had crossed from land.
It the tee shot stayed over the water the whole time then McIlroy would have been forced to take his third shot from the tee box, but it was agreed that the ball crossed around 200 yards up the hole.
Spieth didn't seem overly confident as he was heard asking: "Did it cross?"
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Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland discuss McIlroy's drop on No. 7.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 14, 2024
Rory makes double bogey to move from solo leader to T2. pic.twitter.com/dkV6a5Q22W
Wayne Riley, who works as an on-course reporter in professional golf, was walking with the group and was asked for his opinion before being reprimanded by Spieth.
He said on Sky Sports: “I got asked to say where it crossed and Jordan went berserk at me!
"He said, ‘How do you know, Radar? Where were you standing?’
“All I can do is answer the question. These temperamental golfers!"
