World number two Rory McIlroy encountered a bizarre and costly piece of bad luck during his third round at the Australian Open, with a discarded banana peel contributing to a frustrating double bogey at Royal Melbourne.
A Slippery Situation on the Second Hole
Hoping to build on the momentum from three late birdies in his second round, McIlroy teed off early on Saturday seven shots behind the leaders. Swamped by a sell-out crowd, the Northern Irishman started steadily with a par. However, his drive on the par-four second hole missed the fairway, nestling his ball next to a grassy bush.
The situation turned from difficult to ridiculous when McIlroy and his caddie discovered a discarded banana skin draped over the golf ball. Under the rules of golf, he was unable to remove the obstruction for fear of moving the ball, which would have incurred a one-stroke penalty.
Forced to play the ball as it lay, McIlroy could only hack it out about ten metres. His third shot then came up short of the green, and he was unable to get up and down, ultimately carding a damaging double-bogey six.
Shaking Off Adversity
This setback came just a day after another awkward moment on the par-five 14th during Friday's play, where McIlroy had a rare air swing after his tee shot ended under a Ti-tree. Showing his class as golf's newest grand slam winner, he immediately shook off Saturday's unusual blow.
McIlroy birdied the very next hole, the par-four third, to get a shot back. As rain began to fall, he was left frustrated by a number of birdie opportunities that failed to drop. He finally converted another on the ninth hole to move back to one-under par for his round at that stage.
Local Talent Makes a Move
While McIlroy battled, South Australian Jack Buchanan was the biggest mover during the morning session. Recently securing a place on the DP World Tour's secondary Hotel Planner Tour, Buchanan made a significant charge up the leaderboard.
His impressive round, which included an eagle on the par-three third, five birdies, and a bogey, saw him reach six-under par through 16 holes. This surge propelled him into a tie for 10th place, showcasing the depth of talent at the national championship.
At the top of the leaderboard, co-leaders Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Portugal's Daniel Rodrigues, along with Australian star Min Woo Lee who trailed by one shot at eight under, had just begun their third rounds.
