Rory McIlroy finds a woman on her knees with his tee shot and gives the crowd a priceless reaction

It has been a turbulent 12 months for McIlroy, but there have been many highlights. Photo by: PA

However, with 26 PGA Tour and 17 DP World Tour victories to his name, McIlroy remains one of the greatest golfers of his generation.

While the last 12 months will be remembered for his late US Open collapse, the Northern Irishman has won four professional tournaments and delighted fans around the world. One of his biggest achievements was competing in the Race to Dubai and claiming a record fourth Rolex Series victory on the DP World Tour.

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But for one fan, the most memorable moment was McIlroy’s T22 finish. Come November 2023, the 35-year-old was already the Race to Dubai champion and arrived at the season-ending European tournament with virtually no chance of winning.

And that carefree attitude may have led to some reckless shots at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which hosted the DP World Tour Championship. In particular, on the par-3 13th hole, the ball veered far to the right and landed in a spectator’s lap.

The woman in question wisely stayed put until McIlroy reached the ball, to keep the game fair. Visibly emotional Rahm forced to apologise to Tiger after beating him on Olympic golf course

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Under Rule 11.1, the Northern Irishman was entitled to pick up the ball and take his free throw no closer to the hole.

But McIlroy delighted the crowd by pretending to take his next shot from a fan’s lap. The superstar golfer had fans in stitches with his reaction to the situation. Credit: @jonnyescott on X

In a fan video posted on X, those present can be heard laughing as the superstar golfer joked with the unsuspecting customer.

Known as one of the most open and outspoken players on tour, McIlroy has always had a special connection with golf fans. That was further enhanced after his Zurich Classic victory alongside Shane Lowry on the PGA Tour in April earlier this year.

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Stood on a stage, McIlroy belted out Journey\’s classic \’Don\’t Stop Believing\’ and chugged a beer as hundreds watched on in Louisiana. However, the Northern Irishman has recently attempted to put some distance between himself and the media world by changing his phone number.

McIlroy has taken a short break from golf after missing a couple of putts within four feet, which led to his loss at the US Open in June. “From the time I left Pinehurst on Sunday night to the time I walked in my front door, I probably got about 10 or 15 text messages from media members,” McIlroy said before missing the cut at the British Open earlier this month.