Watch Rory McIlroy's incredible recovery shot off the pine straw, over water!

Rory McIlroy had an interesting start to the 2023 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

McIlroy, 33, started on the back nine on Thursday morning in a star-studded group alongside Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler. 

The Ulsterman got off to a simply nightmare start when he carded a double bogey at No. 10 after missing the fairway and then the green. 

He bounced back with a birdie at No.11, made three consecutive pars before dropping another shot at 15. 

Then things got interesting for McIlroy at the par-5 16th. McIlroy continued with his theme of missing right with the big stick. 

His TP5x settled in the pine straw and according to Shot Tracker was left with 193 yards to the pin. 

For us mere mortals, we wouldn't attempt to go through the gap. It's not really a gap for McIlroy. But for us? No chance. 

And McIlroy also wasn't too fussed about the prospect of finding a watery grave. 

McIlroy gripped down on the club and fired straight at the pin. It came out hot "like a bullet" and got a favourable bounce. 

Unfortunately for McIlroy, he took three putts from there and settled for a frustrating par. Scheffler also made a par and Rahm made his birdie. 

Still, it was a pretty good shot, no?!

Watch the moment here: 

This shot from Rory @McIlroyRory escapes from the pine straw and somehow finds the green on the par-5 16th @THEPLAYERSChamp. pic.twitter.com/2rEQ1OR5Mz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 9, 2023

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• Rory McIlroy rocks up to Sawgrass with a book about introverts
• Matt Fitzpatrick doesn't want LIV players back 
• Scottie Scheffler hilariously reacts to no-cut proposals
• Horschel wants LIV players to 'jump through hoops' if they want back in
• PGA Tour pro blasts Jay Monahan, Rory McIlroy
• Fan does a blackflip for Rory McIlroy
• PGA Tour boss insists they aren't copying LIV
• Will LIV players get to return? Jay Monahan: 'No'
• Rory McIlroy, Rahm, praise LIV Golf
• Cameron Smith's absence 'awkward'
• The end of an era for WGCs
• PGA Tour membership not unified, says Rory McIlroy
• Several pros skip PGA Tour members meeting
• James Hahn slapping us in the face, says McIlroy
• Hole-in-one on 17 at TPC Sawgrass!

Next page: McIlroy divides opinion with latest remarks