Rory McIlroy slammed for 'temper tantrum' after smashing up tee box in fit of rage

Rory McIlroy slammed for 'temper tantrum' after smashing up tee box in fit of rage

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Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 11/03/2024

- 18:52

Rory McIlroy let his frustrations get the better of him at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Rory McIlroy has been slammed by some viewers for his antics at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after he took his anger out at a tee box marker.

The Northern Irishman was bidding to become just the seventh golfer to win multiple Bay Hill titles last week.


He left himself with plenty of work to do after a disappointing opening round one-over par.

McIlroy did enough to make it through to the weekend in the signature PGA Tour event, but he struggled to get going at the start of his third round on Saturday.

He had just just bogeyed the seventh hole before stepping up to the tee on the par-four eighth.

Rory McIlroy smashed up a tee box on Saturday

Rory McIlroy smashed up a tee box on Saturday

GETTY/GOLFCHANNEL

But his tee shot leaked right into the trees with the four-time major winner clearly furious with himself.

McIlroy threatened to chuck his club at the left tee box marker before cameras panned to follow the ball in the air.

A loud crash was then heard on commentary before the cameras returned to the tee box where the marker on the right was smashed to pieces.

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It was suggested that McIlroy had broken the marker as he returned to his bag before Jordan Spieth stepped up to the tee box.

His frustrations were compounded even further minutes later as he was forced to play out onto the fairway before walking away with another bogey.

McIlroy eventually managed to recompose himself on the back nine as she fired in six birdies to climb up the leaderboard heading into Sunday.

However, his actions on the eighth didn't go down well with some viewers who felt McIlroy overstepped the mark with his outburst.

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One fan demanded: "That should be a fine."

Another said: "This is not emotion, this is temper tantrums. Nothing more."

A third mockingly wrote: "That level of immaturity is why Rory will likely be stuck on four major wins for the foreseeable future."

One other person noted: "RM is a diva! Under no circumstance should he be doing what he did. He has ZERO class."

Rory McIlroy had a difficult weekend at Bay Hill

Rory McIlroy had a difficult weekend at Bay Hill

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Another moaned: "Rory has always acted like a petulant child."

McIlroy let his frustrations get the better of him again during the final round on Sunday as he attempted to climb further up the leaderboard.

The 34-year-old had missed the green with his approach shot on the third hole and his chip ended up 11 feet from the hole to leave him with a tricky par save.

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Rory McIlroy also made a small dent on the third hole on Sunday

Rory McIlroy also made a small dent on the third hole on Sunday

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His effort missed to the right and McIlroy reacted by smashing his putter into the floor and leaving a dent in the fringe.

McIlroy followed that up with another bogey on the very next hole before finding the water on the sixth and carding a double bogey.

Two more bogeys followed on holes eight and 11 to leave him six-over par for the round.

He managed to pull back two shots on holes 13 and 15, but McIlroy ended up a disappointing tied-21st.

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