1<\/p>\n McIlroy stumbled upon a wild piece of misfortune on SaturdayCredit: Getty<\/p>\n A third-round 68 could have been even better if not for a rogue bit of litter on the course Down Under. <\/p>\n McIlroy found the thick rough with a loose drive at the par-four second hole, but it was not the long grass that caused him the most trouble. <\/p>\n His ball came to rest under a banana peel – which was likely left there by a spectator who should have used a bin. <\/p>\n Golfers are allowed to remove loose impediments but not if doing so causes the ball to move. <\/p>\n READ MORE ON TALKSPORT<\/p>\n With the banana peel touching McIlroy’s ball, the Northern Irishman was unable to shift it without incurring a one-stroke penalty. <\/p>\n Instead, the world no.2 decided to play the lie, advancing his ball a small number of yards before ultimately making a double-bogey six. <\/p>\n Speaking after his round, McIlroy said: “It was sort of a double whammy – it was in the tough grass, and under a banana skin\u2026<\/p>\n “It\u2019s a loose impediment and it was resting on the ball so, if I moved the banana peel, the ball would have moved so I just didn\u2019t even try. <\/p>\n “I mean, I shouldn\u2019t have been there in the first place, but yeah, it wasn\u2019t the best start.”<\/p>\n Rory’s bucket list <\/p>\n![\"McIlroy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/rory-mcilroy-northern-ireland-plays-1043693608.jpg\")
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