Golfer Rory McIlroy tight-lipped about heckler incident at Players Championship
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Rory McIlroy during the first round of The Players Championship 2025 on March 13.
PHOTO: AFP
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MIAMI – Rory McIlroy, on March 13, kept quiet about a practice-round incident at the Players Championship in which he took a phone from a heckler – a critic who later apologised to the four-time Major champion.
University of Texas junior Luke Potter was attending the practice session at TPC Sawgrass in Florida on March 11, a day after winning his first college title at the John Hayt Invitational across the street at Sawgrass Country Club, according to Golf.com.
He was behind and to the left of the 18th green when McIlroy hit a tee shot into the water and then, according to Golf Channel and Golf.com, Potter yelled a remark about the 2011 Masters.
McIlroy’s epic Sunday collapse at that event 14 years ago at Augusta National cost him a Major title, the only Major the Northern Irishman has never won.
A video on X shows him going over to Potter after a second tee shot and taking his phone. The latter was then escorted off the grounds moments later and his phone was returned, according to Golf.com.
“I just made a mistake and I take ownership for it. I apologise for it. That’s about all that needs to be said... It’s just a good learning experience. Yeah, I apologise,” Potter told the Golf Channel.
He called McIlroy a “great player” and added: “I wish him the best.”
Texas golf coach John Fields told Golf.com that Potter also wrote apology letters to McIlroy and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan among others.
Asked about the incident after his opening-round five-under 67 on March 13, which left him one off the lead, McIlroy refused to comment. A reporter asked: “Can I ask you about the shenanigans with the kid?”
To which he replied: “No, you can’t.”
Asked why not, McIlroy added: “Because I don’t want you to.”
Pressed again about the matter, he answered: “I’m really happy that I shot 67 today.”
McIlroy was level with American Billy Horschel, winner of the 2014 Tour Championship and FedExCup, as well as Akshay Bhatia of the United States and Australian Min Woo Lee. Americans Lucas Glover and J.J. Spaun as well as Colombia’s Camilo Villegas, meanwhile, formed a tie for the lead.
Former US Open champion Glover, Spaun and Villegas each fired six-under 66s on a sun-splashed day at TPC Sawgrass, where the fairways ran fast but the greens were receptive to approach shots. Huge galleries followed McIlroy, who played in a marquee grouping alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and third-ranked Xander Schauffele.
Reigning champion Scheffler, who is bidding for an unprecedented third successive Players victory, returned a 69 while fellow American Schauffele endured a topsy-turvy day on his way to a 72 that included four birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey at the last. AFP, REUTERS
