Rory McIlroy details thought behind his back-handed and left-handed putts at the BMW PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy had a one-of-a-kind day in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship. He broke his club in the middle of a shot, then made a backhanded and left-handed putt during the first day at Wentworth.
On Thursday, September 19, Rory McIlroy carded a 5-under 67 to tie for fourth after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship. He sank seven birdies and two bogeys to finish two shots behind the lead.
During the post-round interview, McIlroy detailed the backhanded putt on the eighth hole.
"I hit it down the left side there and I had 104 yards to the pin," he said. "If there wasn't a tree in my way, I would have tried to hit like a little three-quarter 54. But the flight of that wouldn't have gone over the tree.
"So I tried to hit a full lob-wedge to get the ball over the tree and with that it's just going to spin a lot; and lucky that it stayed on the green and made a 4, and moved very swiftly to the ninth tee," he added.
The 35-year-old golfer hoped for no more left-handed shots in the remaining rounds.
"It was up against the sort of collar there where that water hazard is on the 8th hole, and didn't really have a stance hitting it right-handed," he continued.
"Hit a left-handed putt. Did a decent job. At least I got the speed pretty much correct. I didn't get the line right, but knocked that one in, made par and very swiftly moved to the 9th tee, pretty happy," he concluded.
When will Rory McIlroy tee off for the second round of the BMW PGA Championship?
Rory McIlroy is grouped with Justin Rose and Ryan Fox for the second round of the BMW PGA Championship. The trio will tee off on Friday, September 20 from the first hole at 12:25 pm local time.
The second round of the BMW PGA Championship began at 7 am local time with Jens Dantorp, Richard Mansell, and Marcus Armitage teeing off from the first hole.
Following the first round, McIlroy was tied for fourth, two shots behind Matthew Baldwin. The Englishman carded a bogey-free 65 in the opening round. Niklas Norgaard and Thomas Detry were tied for second at six-under. McIlroy is tied with Ugo Coussaud, Victor Perez, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Matteo Manassero, Marcus Armitage, Dan Bradbury, Billy Horschel, Andy Sullivan, and Jeong Weon Ko at 5-under