So, this was weird: Rory McIlroy, playing his second shot from the rough on the 11th at Royal Portrush in Round 3 of the British Open, somehow managed to unearth another ball in mid-swing. The second ball was apparently embedded in the ground a few inches ahead of McIlroy's ball, and popped into the air as McIlroy's shot flew greenward.

Rory McIlroy climbed the leaderboard Saturday at the 2025 Open Championship thanks in large part to an electric eagle putt on the par-five 12th.

In something you'll have to see to believe, Rory McIlroy hit not only his own golf ball but a second one buried in the turf close to his on the 11th hole.

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy gave the home crowds exactly what they craved on Saturday: He used the traditional third-round “moving day’’ to make a move up the leaderboard. McIlroy, who began the day at 3-under par, seven shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler, activated the huge Portrush crowds with a third-round 5-under-par 66.

Rory McIlroy pulled off an unexpected and accidental trick during a shot from the rough on the 11th hole at the Open Championship on Saturday.

Here's a look at how McIlroy scored in the third round of The Open Championship: McIlroy shot a 5-under 66 in the third round of The Open Championship on Saturday, July 19. Following an opening-round score of 1-under 70 and 2-under 69 in round two. He is now tied for fourth at 8 under par through three days of competition.

Scottie Scheffler moved within one round of claiming the third leg of the Grand Slam on Saturday when he shot a 4-under 67 in the British Open for a four-shot lead.

Scheffler recorded a pair of birdies and an eagle at the seventh hole to create the separation going into Sunday. The impressive round gave him the 54-hole lead. He is 3-for-3 in majors when he owns the lead after the third round. The latest win came at the 2025 PGA Championship.