It was a difficult day for Rory McIlroy at the Memorial Tournament, but things could have been even more awkward for the Northern Irish golf star

The 35-year-old had a tough day at Muirfield Village Golf Club, ending the weekend tied for 15th in the final round of the Memorial Tournament.

Clearly frustrated, McIlroy expressed his annoyance by casually tossing his club behind him with one hand. However, he hadn’t noticed a camera operator was right behind him.

Realising his club had landed dangerously close to the operator, McIlroy swiftly turned around and offered an apology, saying: “Oops, sorry”. This quick apology highlighted McIlroy’s sportsmanship, contrasting with some players who might have simply retrieved their club and walked off without acknowledging the mishap, reports the Express. 

Over recent years, McIlroy has emerged as a compelling figure in golf, notably taking a prominent position in the dispute between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, staunchly defending PGA players before the two organizations merged in June 2023.

One year later, McIlroy, alongside his PGA associates, met with Middle Eastern tycoons and LIV bankrollers, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund to discuss golf’s future prospects under their investment.

Sharing his thoughts on the meeting, he said: “Very productive, very constructive, very collaborative. I think those are probably three words I would use to describe it.

“Yeah, it was really good. Definitely things are heading in the right direction. A lot of progress was made. I can’t really say much more than that, but it was really positive. Definitely encouraged.”

Expanding on the nature of the talks, McIlroy explained: “You have to understand, they’re a sovereign wealth fund. They invest in companies and different things and they want a return on their investment. That’s what they want.