Rory McIlroy stirred up plenty of debate during the opening round of the Tour Championship at East Lake on Thursday.
It has been a wild ride for McIlroy across the 2025 PGA Tour, filled with ups and downs. A win here would cap off a season that began with so much promise but lost steam along the way.
He picked up his third victory of the year at The Masters back in April, though it has been rough going ever since for the world number two. Still, he will be hoping to finish on a high note this week.
McIlroy mentioned earlier in the week that he preferred the old Tour Championship format – a view not widely shared by others in the field.
But after shooting a 66 on Thursday, under the old system, he would have been much further behind Scottie Scheffler than he currently is under this year’s setup.
Before play began, McIlroy admitted that it is tough to compete with Scheffler every single week. That reality seemed clear again as day one wrapped up.
After his round wrapped up, some fans took issue with something they saw from him during play. It was not about his scorecard, but rather an action on course that drew attention online.
Fans call for rule change after Rory McIlroy’s Tour Championship round
Scheffler mentioned that he was pulling for McIlroy to make his par save so they could finish before the weather suspension hit.
McIlroy managed to do just that, but not in the way anyone expected.
His bunker shot flew over the green, struck the grandstand, and bounced back to within 17 feet of the pin.
The 36-year-old then drained the putt, but fans quickly took to social media to call for a rule change after what they saw as a fortunate break on the final hole.
One fan wrote: “I hit the same shot today. Had 20+ yard chip coming back. He should have to drop by the grandstand.”
Another added: “What nonsense. In any other form of golf without stands you are buried in the rough. If you hit the stands, you should get a drop, not a putt for birdie.”
Others echoed similar feelings: “If only I had backboards around the green when I play a bunker shot during my rounds. The perks of pro golf. Never lose a ball, perfect conditions and lucky bounces.”
And: “Get rid of the grandstands! Players never get harshly penalised for poor shots when the grandstands act as a free relief zone.”
One comment read: “I’d love to see a rule that states if you hit the grandstands it’s a one-stroke penalty or that ball has to be placed in a spot that is nearly an impossible up and down,” while another stated: “I honestly think it’s easier to score on Tour than just playing regular. Someone always finds your ball, you can bank it off the grandstand and still get relief, and if you shank it, the gallery has always trampled down the rough and you get an amazing lie.”
The discussion continued on X (formerly Twitter), with another fan posting: “There is no ‘luck’ if there’s no grandstand there. Luck is a ball hitting a rock and staying dry rather than water. Not clanking off a man-made grandstand that isn’t there 361 days of the year to help other golfers.”
One even claimed McIlroy aimed for it deliberately: “Dude he did that on purpose.”
Rory McIlroy comments on 18th hole birdie at Tour Championship
Speaking to reporters after his opening 66 at East Lake, McIlroy was immediately asked about his closing hole.
McIlroy said: “Yeah, pretty lucky in the end. I think as well, if it hadn’t have come down and we had to drop, we mightn’t have got finished, so lucky in a lot of different ways, lucky for the score and lucky we got done.
“I feel like I played well enough to shoot 4-under if not better, so it was a nice and lucky way to finish.”
When asked about his immediate reaction after hitting the shot out of the bunker, he said: “Oh, no, pretty much. Got a little thin, came out a little faster than obviously I wanted it to, but at that point you’re just hoping that something is going to happen – all the TIO lovers are going to love that one on Twitter tonight.“
TIO stands for Temporary Immovable Obstruction. McIlroy benefited from the grandstand behind the 18th green during his first round.
I don’t think there was any intention behind it from McIlroy. The bunker shot itself was not particularly difficult either.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
