Rory McIlroy’s Bad Drop at Pebble Costs Two Strokes

Rory McIlroy was firing on all cylinders in his opening round at Pebble Beach. Leading the tournament through 14 holes, he sat at five under and was cruising.

A bogey at 6 (his fifteenth hole of the day) wobbled him slightly before an errant tee shot left him at the base of a tree on 7. He chose to take a penalty drop, going back in line with the flag and playing his approach en route to another bogey. Damage limited.

Rory McIlroy has been assessed a two-stroke penalty after this drop on the par-5 seventh hole. pic.twitter.com/7PtnytRc5t

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 1, 2024

McIlroy finished out the round at 69, three under par.

Since assessing the drop, rules official Mark Dusbabek had this to say:

“The rules changed in 2023…you still go back in line with the flagstick and can drop it anywhere on that line. The ball can roll in any direction up to a club length. Rory, from that line, dropped one club length to the side, which made it a two-stroke penalty”

Rory carded a treble bogey 8 on the hole, throwing him way further down the pack after Thursday at the AT&T. He took a club-length relief from the spot he had selected after going back in line with the flag, which was legal in 2019, but not in 2024!

He’s got work to do to catch leader Patrick Cantlay, who stormed to an opening 64.

Cover Image via Fox Sports