Rory McIlroy takes aim at angry PGA Tour pro: "You don't want 10-year-old kids doing that..."

Rory McIlroy admits watching a stroppy Patton Kizzire punt his putter across the green in frustration during last week's Valspar Championship is not something he hopes any young aspiring golfer ever copies when they miss a putt. 

PGA Tour superstar McIlroy, 35, was asked by a golf reporter ahead of this week's Texas Children's Houston Open whether he considers the professional game can become more relatable to the average golfer by a result of players showing more emotion. 

"Rory, talk a little bit about how golf can be more relatable, how you can be more friendly to the media, players," said the journalist. 

"All players show emotion on the golf course, the difference is it's all catching on video these days whether it be whoever. You show emotions. Can that make golf more relatable to the average guy? The average golfer obviously plays, knows how hard it is, shows emotion. Can that be relatable?"

McIlroy, immediately diverting his attention to Kizzire booting his putter across the green at last week's Valspar Championship, replied:

"It can be relatable, but at the same time you want to try to set a proper example, like you don't want -- you don't want 10-year-old kids punting their putters across the green every time they miss a putt.

"At the same time it does, it shows that we are human, it shows the human side to ourselves, but at the same time we have a responsibility to set an example, and golf is a lot about the etiquette of the game and doing right thing. There's a balance to be struck there."

Kizzire, who lines up in this week's tournament, has since apologised for his actions on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort.

He is understood to have been fined by the Tour. 

It wasn't the only outburst of anger we saw.

In a rare display of frustration, Sahith Theegala was spotted tossing his club into the ground after a loose iron shot.

Canada's Adam Hadwin also decided to smash a sprinkler head with his club.

The hilarious thing about that, though, was that the golfer accidentally set the sprinkler off and got covered in water.

His wife Jessica had the perfect response.

McIlroy, who won The Players Championship in his last start, is making his first appearance at the Texas Children's Houston Open since 2014.

The World No.2 starts the second favourite (7/1) in the field behind home favourite and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (4/1). 

Scheffler was agonisingly denied a victory in front of his adoring home fans at Memorial Park GC after finishing second to Stephan Jaeger. 

He missed a short four-footer for birdie on the 18th that would have taken him into a playoff with the German. 

It was a rare missed opportunity for Scheffler in 2024 as he went on to win seven official titles on the PGA Tour and nine in total on the season. 

This is the last start for both Scheffler and McIlroy until The Masters from 10-13 April.

Scheffler is looking to defend the green jacket and win The Masters for a third time in four years.

The American has yet to register a victory so far on the PGA Tour this season. 

McIlroy, on the other hand, is going in search of the career grand slam at Augusta National. 

Only five golfers have won all four of golf's modern majors at any time during their careers: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods.

McIlroy has already won twice on the PGA Tour so far this year with victories at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship.