Rory McIlroy has a strange banana peel encounter while struggling behind Australian Open leaders

Rory McIlroy narrowly avoided a near-nightmare missed cut at the Crown Australian Open 2025 on Friday. The World No.2 golfer continued to struggle on Saturday as he shot a three-under 68 to sit tied for 24th at five under, nine strokes behind leaders. Despite this, his round was highlighted by a strange banana peel encounter.

McIlroy came to face a banana peel lodged in long grass on the par-four second after missing the fairway right. The Masters champion, who completed his career Grand Slam at Augusta in April, saw his ball end up under a banana peel thrown away by a spectator. Notably, golfers are allowed to move loose impediments ensuring that the ball itself doesn’t move in the process. The player suffers a penalty if the ball had shifted during the item’s movement.

Owing to the risky rules, McIlroy tried to hit his ball through the banana peel back on to the fairway. The ace golfer ended up making a double-bogey six after the ball only travelled 30 feet from the shot.

Rory McIlroy said of the strange banana peel incident after his round on Saturday, as quoted by Australian Golf Digest:

“It was sort of a double whammy – it was in the tough grass, and under a banana skin. But I shouldn’t have been there in the first place after a terrible tee shot. It wasn’t the best way to start.”

Furthermore, McIlroy revealed that he never considered asking for a ruling.

He added:

“No, because I assumed I wouldn’t. The banana, it’s a loose impediment and it was rested on the ball. So, if I moved the banana peel the ball would’ve moved. So, I just didn’t even try.”

Rory McIlroy exudes confidence in comeback at the Australian Open

It is pertinent to note that the Rory McIlroy followed the banana peel incident-filled double-bogey with a birdie on the next hole and after another bogey and birdie to complete the front nine at the DP World Tour event. The Northern Irishman shot a one-over 35 at the turn and added four birdies, including on the final two holes as he had done on Friday, on the back nine.

The five-time major champion completed the round with a 68, after making five birdies on his final 10 holes, replicating his score on Friday.

Reviewing his round, Rory McIlroy said, as quoted by Sky Sports:

“I didn’t get off to a great start, but I played well from there. I am probably going to be too far behind to challenge tomorrow… But I’d love the course to keep getting firmer and firmer… and if it does I think I could go out there and shoot something very low, eight or nine under.”

It is noteworthy that Rory McIlroy had earlier made headlines by stating that Royal Melbourne GC was not the best sandbelt course in Melbourne. The Race to Dubai winner, making his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2015, followed up the comments with a forgettable start to the contest as he opened with a 72 on Thursday.

The 2013 Australian Open champion admittedly avoided a ‘big downer’ by fighting back to shoot a 3 under 68 in the second round.