Rory McIlroy's Puzzling Free Relief Ruling at BMW PGA Explained

Rory McIlroy needed a favorable rules interpretation to save par at Wentworth's par-3 14th hole during the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday, a moment that left broadcasters debating the local rules in real time before he closed out a 3-under 69.

What happened on the 14th hole?

McIlroy pulled his tee shot well left of the green, and the ball settled on a narrow strip of grass between an out-of-bounds fence and a cart path. Sky Sports commentators Tony Johnstone and Sam Torrance debated on air whether McIlroy would get free relief from the fence, until fellow broadcaster Alison Whitaker read the local rule stating that players get no free relief from the 14th hole's fencing, including its base supports and brackets.

Why did McIlroy get relief anyway?

Attention shifted to the cart path. McIlroy had no shot from the right side of the ball, but discovered that swinging left-handed gave him a backswing — one the cart path would interfere with. A rules official watched McIlroy take practice swings from that position and ruled the shot reasonable, which meant McIlroy qualified for free relief from the path as an immovable obstruction. The direction he chose to swing, not the ball's actual position, decided whether McIlroy faced a bogey or a routine par. Because the fence blocked him from dropping on the far side of the path, he was allowed to cross it and drop on the green side, no nearer the hole.

How did the DP World Tour explain the ruling?

The tour told GOLF that the narrow strip of grass near the boundary fence had effectively been tied into the cart path and treated as part of the same immovable obstruction. Because McIlroy had a playable shot, he was entitled to relief at his nearest point, even though his ball rested on the grass rather than the path itself.

How did McIlroy's round finish?

McIlroy chipped to about five feet from the drop and made the putt to save par. He finished the round three shots behind co-leaders Aaron Rai and Joakim Lagergren. "I see encouraging signs in my game," McIlroy said afterward, pointing to a more instinctive feel in his swing.

The direction he chose to swing, not the ball's actual position, decided whether McIlroy faced a bogey or a routine par.