Watch Rory McIlroy lip out four putts in a three-hole stretch at the Tour Championship

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As a general rule, weekend hackers take the amount of lipouts they’ve had in a round and multiply it by four to emphasise that the golf gods are (eternally) against them. So “Geez! I’ve had FOUR lipouts today!” actually translates to one lipout on a three-footer that was on the low side the whole way and never had a chance. But Rory McIlroy can truthfully claim to have been robbed four times during his first round at the Tour Championship. Even worse? They happened in a three-hole-stretch.

Beginning on East Lake’s 12th hole, McIlroy lipped out a 40-footer for par and then missed the four-foot comebacker for bogey. On 13, he caught the edge again on an eight-foot birdie putt and again on 14 from a similar distance. Rough.

McIlroy probably doesn’t appreciate the US PGA Tour putting together a “highlight” package of these four putts. Although we think it was done out of sympathy, it’s the latest reminder for the four-time Major champ  – who currently ranks 68th on tour in strokes gained putting – that he doesn’t make enough putts. Anyway, have a look:

Not surprisingly, Rory didn’t respond with a GIF. All that was needed was this perfect screenshot of a grimacing McIlroy with his smiling profile pic in the background:

Anyway, despite that frustrating string of lipouts, McIlroy still managed to shoot an opening 67. And that’s certainly something no weekend hacker could ever claim.