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Even the most talented golfers have their off days. Rory McIlroy, a renowned golfer, encountered one such day during the final round of the prestigious Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on June 9.
McIlroy, a skilled yet human golfer, experienced a challenging moment when he shanked a drive from the fairway, sending it directly into the water. In a spontaneous reaction, he tossed his club backward, nearly hitting a nearby cameraman. Recognizing his mistake, McIlroy quickly extended an apologetic arm, uttering a sincere “Oop! Sorry.”
McIlroy’s final round score of 76 reflected the challenges he faced, marking his highest score of the entire tournament. Despite this setback, he managed to secure a tie for 15th place, finishing at +2.
The tournament ultimately crowned Scottie Scheffler as the champion, who persevered through a final round 74 to clinch the victory. Scheffler’s final score of -8 narrowly edged out Collin Morikawa, who finished at -7 and claimed second place.
The victory was especially sweet for Scheffler, who celebrated with his wife, Meredith Scudder, and their newborn son, Bennett, born just a month earlier. The joyous occasion marked a memorable family moment for the proud new parents.
For McIlroy, the club-throwing incident added to a series of recent headlines surrounding his personal life. On May 13, he filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, citing an “irretrievably broken” marriage in the divorce documents.
The details of McIlroy’s divorce proceedings revealed that he hired a private investigator to serve Stoll with divorce papers while she was at their shared home in Jupiter, Florida, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph. Stoll missed the June 5 deadline to respond to McIlroy’s divorce petition, as per Florida law, which allows a 20-day window for a response.
According to an Us Weekly source, McIlroy acknowledged feeling “lonely” in the marriage and recognized the challenges of being “a hard person to be married to.” The source also shed light on the couple’s differing lifestyles, with McIlroy often on the road, ultimately leading to a breaking point in their relationship.
Speculations about a potential romance between McIlroy and CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis emerged, but Us Weekly confirmed that the two are not dating. McIlroy also made headlines last month for playing in the RBC Canadian Open with a hangover, a candid confession that added a touch of humanity to his celebrity status.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, McIlroy persevered and finished the RBC Canadian Open in a tie for 9th place, showcasing his resilience and determination.