VIRGINIA WATER, England — Rory McIlroy lost the clubhead on his 9-iron and then lost the lead when he went out of bounds on the final hole while shooting a shaky 5-under 67 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday.
No. 3-ranked McIlroy recovered well from the pain of failing to win his home Irish Open last week, overcoming a freak incident on the par-5 12th hole when the head of his 9-iron broke off the shaft and flew across the fairway after McIlroy hit his second shot.
The Northern Irishman said he didn’t even see the ball reach the green and land 7 feet from the hole to set up one of his seven birdies.
“It was a bit of a weird feeling,” McIlroy said. “Obviously you were expecting the weight of the club to push you forward and there was nothing there.”
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Rory McIlroy’s golf club head breaks off after impact…#BMWPGA | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/eaF51JCvPor
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McIlroy fixed his 9-iron and had it back in the bag on the 16th hole, before two par-5s that complete the West Course at Wentworth. He made par on the 17th hole despite his drive going into the trees. He lost a stroke on the last when he hit his second shot to the right of the green and through the trees, the ball eventually finding its way into a path that was out of bounds.
A bogey saw McIlroy lose the clubhouse lead to Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard just hours before the end of the first round. Norgaard, who won the British Masters this month for his first European Tour title, birdied four of his last eight holes for a total of 66.
McIlroy was playing four days after finishing second at the Irish Open behind Rasmus Hojgaard, who closed with three straight birdies to beat the local hero on Sunday.
“The good thing about disappointments is that if you have something coming up next week, it’s good to keep yourself busy and keep your mind focused on something else,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy, 35, was tied for second in a group that included fellow Ryder Cup players Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre, as well as Victor Perez of France, who also bogeyed the 18th hole (after hitting his second shot into the water in front of the green) to lose the lead.
Scotland’s Grant Forrest was 6 under par after eight holes but his round stalled and he also found the water on the last for a double bogey 7 to finish with a 68.
