Tiger Woods’ ex-coach raises suspicion as Rory McIlroy’s driver snaps at BMW Championship
Rory McIlroy broke his driver during the final round of the BMW Championship last weekend. However, Tiger Woods’ ex-coach, Hank Haney, wasn't fully convinced it was accidental.
On Sunday, August 25, Rory McIlroy carded a 1-under 71 in the final round of the BMW Championship. He finished at 6-under to tie for 11th place after 72 holes at Castle Pines.
During the final round, McIlroy's tee shot went slightly to the right on the ninth hole and landed on the rough near the creek. After his shot, he bent down to pick up his tee, but his shaft snapped when he put too much weight on his driver. Following the incident, Haney, who coached Woods for nearly six years, suspected this act might not have been unintentional.
"I think that was an accident?" he wrote.
McIlroy's act also seemed intentional since he didn't ask to replace the club, which is usually the case with accidental damage. As per the Rules of Golf, players can replace the damaged club except in cases of abuse.
The Northern Irishman didn't have the best of the week with his drivers at Castle Pines. Earlier, he had thrown his 3-wood into the water after missing the fairway on the par-5, 17th, during the second round.
What is Rory McIlroy's position at the FedEx Cup following the BMW Championship?
Rory McIlroy has slipped one spot to sixth in the FedEx Cup standings after his T11 finish at the BMW Championship. He has dropped three spots since the start of the playoffs.
Entering the playoffs ranked third in the standings, McIlroy struggled at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, finishing 59th after shooting a 9-over. While his performance at the BMW Championship was comparatively better, it wasn't enough to move him up in the standings.
Following the BMW Championship, Scottie Scheffler holds the top position in the FedEx Cup with 6,615 points. He is followed by Xander Schauffele, who is 1,193 points behind. Hideki Matsuyama, who won in Memphis, is in third place, followed by last week's winner, Keegan Bradley. Ludvig Åberg sits fifth in the season standings ahead of the Tour Championship.
Rory McIlroy still has a chance to win the FedEx Cup if he claims the Tour Championship this week. For those unfamiliar, he has won the event three times, the most in its history. His last victory came in 2022 when he beat Scottie Scheffler and Sungjae Im by one shot.