Rory McIlroy reveals what led to his "I'm so bad at golf" outburst at Scottish Open
June 16, 2011 - Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. - RORY MCILROY reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 6th hole at Congressional Country Club during the first round of the U.S. Open in Bethesda, MD. MCILROY, who started his round on the back 9, finished the first round 6-under par and with a 3 shot lead. Golf 2011- US Open First Round - ZUMAmv2
June 16, 2011 - Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. - RORY MCILROY reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 6th hole at Congressional Country Club during the first round of the U.S. Open in Bethesda, MD. MCILROY, who started his round on the back 9, finished the first round 6-under par and with a 3 shot lead. Golf 2011- US Open First Round - ZUMAmv2
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy arrived at the Genesis Scottish Open chasing a second title at the event. After an eventful final round at The Renaissance Club, the Northern Irishman found himself making headlines for more than just his position on the leaderboard.
McIlroy began Sunday six shots off the lead after a disappointing third-round 73 but quickly climbed the leaderboard with five birdies in his first seven holes.
"Oh my God, I'm so bad at golf," McIlroy said agonizingly.
The Irishman briefly moved within two shots of the lead before a wayward approach from the fairway into the rough at the par-4 16th sparked his self-deprecating reaction.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - MARCH 12: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the tenth hole during THE PLAYERS Championship on March 12, 2026 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 12 PGA, Golf Herren THE PLAYERS Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260312042309
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL - MARCH 12: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the tenth hole during THE PLAYERS Championship on March 12, 2026 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 12 PGA, Golf Herren THE PLAYERS Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260312042309
Despite the struggles, the six-time major winner was satisfied with his performance.
"It's nice to sign this week off with a good score, but I know I need to do a bit of work between now and next Thursday to feel really comfortable with my game," McIlroy said, as reported by the PGA Tour. "But I don't feel like it's too far away. There's definitely some positive signs."
McIlroy pulled off a spectacular third shot after the blunder, but it was only enough for a bogey, and a tie for seventh at 19-under par as Tom Kim went on to claim the Genesis Scottish Open title.
Tom Kim wins the Genesis Scottish Open
Tom Kim ended an almost three-year drought on the PGA Tour at the Genesis Scottish Open.
"I've had a tough couple of years," Kim said, as reported by the PGA Tour. "I got to taste a lot of that humble pie, and I got to really learn about myself and I'm still trying to grow, still trying to learn — still got a long way to go. But this one I wanted to dedicate to the people that were in my corner the whole time and struggled with me and who celebrated with me."
The race was close, but Kim was at the top of his game at The Renaissance Club. He carded a bogey-free 6-under 64 to secure the title by two strokes over Australia’s Min Woo Lee.
Kim also became the first South Korean player to win the Scottish Open.
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Written by
Avishek Sarkar
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav