Rory McIlroy throws club down the fairway in frustration at British Open
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Rory McIlroy throws club down the fairway in frustration at British Open

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Rory McIlroy had just about enough of Royal Troon on Saturday.

After hitting a sub-standard 3-wood at the par-5 16th in the third round, McIlroy, after looking at the ball flight fade to the right, threw his Nike Golf club down the fairway in frustration. The head came off. It wasn't a good look.

In the end, McIlroy made par on 16 and into the house, finishing up a 2-over 73 that is his worst round of the week at the 2016 British Open Championship.

The social media reaction was immediate as critics laid into McIlroy for losing his cool. It was reminiscent of how critics of Tiger Woods reacted when the 14-time major winner used clubs for a makeshift javelin. However, McIlroy wasn't apologetic after the round, explaining that the club hurl was out of frustration for hitting the same weak fade with a 3-iron on the 15th hole.

“No one likes to make the same mistake twice,” he said, “and that’s basically what happened.”

This isn't the first time McIlroy has thrown clubs that are numbered 3. In the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, McIlroy threw his 3-iron in a water hazard after a poor shot. A diver recovered the club, and resort owner Donald Trump presented it to McIlroy the next day in a cheeky ceremony.

However, that 3-iron was perfectly healthy until it met a watery grave. The glue holding together his 3-wood came loose earlier in the week, making it easier for the head-shaft separation after the throw.

“The shaft on it came lose earlier on in the week," McIlroy said. "So it’s probably partly to do with that and partly the throw as well."

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Ryan Ballengee

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