Rory McIlroy Open misery summed up as he smashes himself in the face

Rory McIlroy is heading home early at the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon. 

McIlroy, 35, came into the major in a positive frame of mind after he bounced back from his US Open heartbreak with a decent performance at the Scottish Open. 

But the wind got the better of the Northern Irishman at the Ayrshire links this week. 

Rounds of 77-75 meant the four-time major champion was going home with a host of big names. 

McIlroy's second round was so bad it included a snap hook left from 93 yards and also a near-whiff when he was trying to advance his golf ball forward from the thick hay on the par-5 sixth. 

He could only laugh as things went from bad to worse. 

In fairness to McIlroy, he never gave up and actually played the back nine in 2-under par. 

But the damage was done. 

Though his week was perfectly summed up when he accidentally hit himself in the face with his own golf club. 

Watch that here:

What did Rory McIlroy say about his Open nightmare?

Essentially, that the wind got the better of him. 

"I didn't adapt well at all to that left-to-right wind yesterday on the back nine, and then this afternoon going out in that gusty wind on the front, as I said, it got the better of me, and I felt pretty uncomfortable over a few shots," he said. 

That being said, a defiant McIlroy insisted he has plenty left to play for in 2025. 

He will now turn his attention to the Olympic Games in Paris. 

"I feel like I say this every Open Championship, but it's not as if we only play four events a year," he added. 

"We play like 25, so there's still a few things there's left to play for. 

"Obviously the majors have come and gone, but to sort of refocus and try to reset for the Olympics, which will be another cool experience, and try to play well there, and then again, I'm in contention to try to win both titles on either side of the Atlantic, so [there is] still some things to play for until the end of the year."

What did you make of Rory McIlroy's performance?

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