Rory McIlroy is absolutely sure that the penalty drop he took on the 7th hole during the opening round of the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass was the correct one.
McIlroy’s tee shot on the par-4 7th was pulled left and appeared to bounce into the water. However, the TV camera wasn’t in position to capture the exact point of entry into the penalty area and when McIlroy went to take his drop near the hazard line it sparked a lengthy debate between he and his playing partners, Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth.
Hovland has previous for taking exceptions to illegal drops from water hazards after his argument with Daniel Berger here two years ago.
“I was adamant that I saw it bounce above the red line,” McIlroy declared. “But then when someone comes in and says, well, someone thought that it didn’t. Then you’re like — it just puts some doubt in your mind. Again, it’s up to you to be comfortable enough with your decision that you did see what you saw, I guess.
“I think Jordan was just trying to make sure that I was doing the right thing. I mean, I was pretty sure that my ball had crossed where I was sort of dropping it. It’s so hard, right, because there was no TV evidence. I was adamant. But I think, again, he was just trying to make sure that I was going to do the right thing.
“If anything, I was being conservative with it. I think at the end of the day we’re all trying to protect ourselves, protect the field, as well. I wouldn’t say it was needless. I think he was just trying to make sure that what happened was the right thing.
“I started to doubt myself a little bit. I was like, okay, did I actually see what I thought I saw. But I mean, as long as — I was comfortable, and I was just making sure that Jordan and Viktor were comfortable, too.”
The drop cost McIlroy a double bogey and a potential course record 62 and he admitted the situation rattled him slightly and he lost his focus on that hole.
“It was disappointing not to get that up-and-down on 7, but that’s probably why I give it a little mini-fist pump on 9 to feel like I got one of those shots back.
“Yeah, you have to reset and you have to try to get back into the zone that you were in for the 15 previous holes.”
McIlroy made an early birdie burst on Thursday morning moving to six-under through eight holes before finding the water on the left of the 18th which again brought uncertainty over where the ball crossed, but the Holywood man – who carded a tournament best ten birdies in an opening 65 to share the early lead on seven-under – insists he took the correct drop twice.
“18 was a pretty similar situation. Again, adamant it crossed, it’s just a matter of where it crosses. I think this golf course more than any other, it sort of produces those situations a little bit.
“Again, like I feel like I’m one of the most conscientious golfers out here, so if I feel like I’ve done something wrong, it’ll play on my conscience for the rest of the tournament. I’m a big believer in karma, and if you do something wrong, I feel like it’s going to come around and bite you at some point.
“I obviously don’t try to do anything wrong out there, and play by the rules and do the right thing. I feel like I obviously did that those two drops.
“I’m comfortable. I think that’s the most important thing.”
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