Rory McIlroy unintentionally accomplished something extremely rare on the golf course on Thursday: his 9-iron head broke off during a shot at the BMW PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy lost the club head on his 9-iron and then lost the lead by going out of bounds on the last hole in shooting an eventful 5-under 67 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship.

Rory McIlroy once threw his 3-wood in frustration at the 2016 British Open at Royal Troon and broke it, and there was that time at the 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral when he angrily t

England's Matthew Baldwin eclipsed a powerful field to lead the BMW PGA Championship by one stroke after the first round at Wentworth on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre and Shane Lowry all card opening-round 67s at Wentworth to sit two strokes behind leader Matthew Baldwin on seven under; defending champion Ryan Fox starts with a one-under 71;

Rory McIlroy overcame the shock of breaking a club midshot to card an opening 67 in the BMW PGA Championship. In an incident-packed round at Wentworth, McIlroy also had to hit a putt left-handed, saw his tee shot on the 17th bounce out of the trees and then hit his approach to the 18th out of bounds.

Rory McIlroy's season of almosts could turn a new page this weekend at the 2024 BMW PGA Championship. Following up a 5-under 67 in Round 1 with a 68 on Friday, the world No. 3 sits in a share of fourth place at 9 under and four off the pace of 36-hole leader Matthew Baldwin.