[IMAGE: Australian Open]
Rory McIlroy’s wildly entertaining week at the 2025 Crown Australian Open delivered yet another first on Saturday – this time involving a rogue banana peel that left the Masters champion in a truly slippery situation.
RELATED: Watch Rory McIlroy take an AIRSWING(!) before producing miracle finish to make the weekend
Fresh off giving fans a scare on Friday before saving his tournament with a brilliant run of three birdies over his final four holes, McIlroy backed it up with a second-straight 3-under 68 to reach 5-under and remain an outside chance of hoisting a second Stonehaven Cup. But it was the morning’s banana drama that had Royal Melbourne buzzing.
With no relief given, McIlroy was only able to advance his ball a few metres in the rough. Asked when he last got stuck on a banana peel, McIlroy could only laugh. “I feel like this week’s a week of firsts in a lot of ways. I mean, I shouldn’t have been there in the first place, but yeah, it wasn’t the best to start. But I feel like I played well after that. Sort of got a feel for it a little bit and especially I feel like I played the back nine well. Just need to figure out how to make a few more birdies on the front.”
Watch the moment here:
The bizarre incident happened quickly, but McIlroy never considered asking for a ruling. “No, because I assumed I wouldn’t,” he told reporters after his round. “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.”
RELATED: Watch Rory McIlroy avoid disaster missed cut as Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cam Smith contend
Despite the fruity fiasco, McIlroy remains optimistic – provided the leaders don’t sprint too far ahead. “It depends what the guys get to. If Rasmus (Neergaard-Petersen) gets to, or any of the guys get to sort of 13 or 14-under, then I think I’ll be a bit too far back. But if they stay where they are at the minute, sort of around that 10, 11 mark, then I feel like I would have a chance from there. But yeah, I think if everything comes together for me, I can shoot a pretty low one out there. But whether that’s good enough or not, I’m not sure.”
A big Sunday awaits the world No.2 – as long as he avoids any more potassium-powered hazards.
