WATCH: Rory McIlroy Launches Fan's Remote Control Ball Into Water

The bizarre incident occurred during the third round of the BMW Championship

Rory McIlroy throwing a fan's remote control golf ball into a pond
(Image credit: Twitter: @GolfAddictsNFT)

Rory McIlroy was involved in a bizarre incident during the third round of the BMW Championship - and it's safe to say he wasn't impressed. 

Attempting to wrestle himself back into contention after a poor start on Saturday, the Northern Irishman was greeted by the unusual sight of a fan-controlled remote-control ball moving around the 15th green at Wilmington Country Club.

He and playing partner Scott Stallings looked on in bewilderment at first, before the four-time Major champion took matters into his own hands, knocking the fan's ball with his putter a couple of times and then launching it into a nearby pond.

Watch how it all played out below:

The fan was quickly ushered away from the green, with McIlroy's reaction receiving a mixed response from the crowd in attendance. However, it was commended by Stallings, who said: "I thought it was great. I was about to go and do the same thing."

He added: "That wasn’t exactly something I expected to see on a Saturday afternoon. He kept yelling at Rory, 'This is my dream, this is my dream.' I don’t know exactly what he was dreaming about, but his ball is gone."

A fan being escorted off property at the 2022 BMW Championship

The players' caddies stepped in to get the fan escorted off property

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Having birdied two of his previous three holes to get back to level par for the day, McIlroy missed the chance to pick up another shot after the melee but went on to birdie the 16th and 17th before a closing bogey had him round in one-under 70. 

The 33-year-old sits five back of Patrick Cantlay as he attempts to put himself in position to clinch a third FedEx Cup victory and pocket the largest first prize in PGA Tour history. As it stands, he's projected to move up two spots into seventh ahead of next week's $18 million shootout. 

Andrew Wright
Freelance News Writer

A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly. 

Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.

As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.

What's in Andy's bag?

Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)

Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)

Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x