Rory McIlroy Found Himself On The Shot Clock

During the BMW Championship in August, Patrick Cantlay experienced the slow-play clock.  It is part of the larger slow-play crackdown the PGA has been doing this year.  The PGA isn’t the only league doing a crackdown, though.  The DP World Tour in Europe is using similar techniques; it even has a slow-play clock for the Irish Open.  During said event, Rory McIlroy found himself playing against the clock.

McIlroy On The Clock

Rory McIlroy and his group were put on the clock twice during the first round.  Once early on, and again for the final three holes.  A penalty hasn’t been handed out for being on the clock.  It was later revealed that the clock wasn’t due to McIlroy’s playing style; he usually plays fast, but rather the crowds he attracts.  He always has a big crowd of fans and media alike, and an issue that the DP World Tour had was trying to keep them moving.  

McIlroy Responds To The Clock

Rory McIlroy was not impressed with the clock being pointed towards him.  When asked earlier in the year about the pace of play rules for the PGA earlier in the year, he said that he supported them. However, he did specify at the time that he wouldn’t know where to begin with it.  However, in this case, he felt like he was not only being rushed, but that rush threw him off his game for the Irish Open.  McIlroy told reporters after the first round:

“In all honesty, I felt a little rushed out there for the last 12 holes,” McIlroy told reporters. “We got put on the clock pretty early, and then the first official went away, and then we were put on the clock for the last three holes to try to make time up.”

McIlroy would continue to say that the officials weren’t using common sense.  He went on to say that there should be some leeway given, specifically with how the camera crews need time to set up their equipment and prepare to record.  Something that the camera crews have to do several times a round.  McIlroy would score two bogeys out of the last three holes.  He would go on to say that he managed to contain his frustration and not “lose my sh** on with officials.  McIlroy goes on to say that this is a frequent issue whenever the OWGR top three play in the DP.  He believes the players are getting rushed frequently because of the crowd.

After The Irish Open

At the end of the first round, McIlroy ended with a score of 71.  He later made up for it in the second round with a score of 66 while finishing the day off T3 with three other players.  This may lead McIlroy to show caution when attending DP events in the future.  Especially when he has large groups following him around.  In the meantime, after the Irish Open is done, McIlroy will be preparing for the Ryder Cup in New York.  Hopefully, the shot clock won’t need to be used there because of crowds.