Rory McIlroy struggled at last year’s Arnold Palmer invitational (Image: Mike Ehrmann, Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy will be keen to erase memories of last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, which saw him lose his cool in a dramatic fashion. The Northern Irish golfer struggled at the Bay Hill Golf Course last March, finishing a disappointing T21 with an overall score of one-under-par.
However, it was his on-course antics that stole the headlines. After a bogey on the seventh hole, appeared visibly frustrated as he approached the eighth. Seconds after his fairway wood took flight, he reacted angrily to the ball’s trajectory, raising his club towards the tee marker as if ready to vent his fury. Video footage revealed McIlroy’s ball landing in the rough, accompanied by a loud crash off-camera.
When the view returned to the tee box, the left-hand marker remained intact, but the right one lay shattered and toppled over. Despite bogeying the eighth hole to go two-over-par, McIlroy managed to claw back and make the cut, thanks to six birdies on the back nine.
The tournament was ultimately won by world No. 1 , who finished with a total score of 15-under-par, five strokes ahead of runner-up Wyndham Clark. Despite not clinching a major title since his 2014 PGA Championship triumph at Valhalla, McIlroy has kicked off the in 2025 with a bang.
The golfing ace, who boasts 27 Tour victories, secured a T4 finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic with Niklas Norgaard in January and then went on to dominate at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, finishing first with a staggering 21-under par, leaving Shane Lowry trailing by two strokes.
Rory McIlroy left the tee-marker in a state (Image: @PGATour)
Reflecting on his victory, the World No. 2 said: “You know, some people would argue that the golf courses I have won on are not up to like a Pebble Beach or obviously an Augusta or whatever. But yeah, to win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really, really cool.
“I knew today was going to be tough, was going to be exciting. There were so many guys around the lead, and you know, with it being Pebble Beach I had to put that to the back of my mind and just go out there and try to shoot a score which I was able to.
“But yeah, really cool to have that walk up 18 sort of take it all in, was very cool.”
Fans are now eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Golf Course on Sunday.