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The WM Phoenix Open didn’t start off in the best way possible for World No. 1, Rory McIlroy. The Brit was forced to play his round in windy conditions, which made things difficult for him. He eventually finished with a score of 2-over par, which put him in the lower echelons of the standings. But how was his experience of playing at the raucous 16th hole?

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McIlroy’s reaction to 16th hole fan atmosphere

At the end of the day’s play, McIlroy was reflective of his performance. “Tricky day,” he said, before elaborating on the wind’s effect. But he was pleased with the crowd support, especially at the 16th hole.

Read more: ‘Doing The Same Things’: Despite Their Ongoing Rivalry, Greg Norman Tried Saving Rory McIlroy From Being ‘Extremely Disappointed’ In 2018

“I’m not in the crowd and I’m not whatever, but I think if I wasn’t a player and I wanted to come to one PGA TOUR event, this would probably be the one that I’d want to come to,” he proudly said.

For the unversed, the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale allows fans to be as loud as possible. It is in stark contrast to other courses, where onlookers maintain absolute silence before the golfer tees up.

The 16th hole at Scottsdale also has stadium seating, which dramatically increases its capacity. Fans throng specifically to the hole to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, with renowned sports analysts Pat McAfee also making the trip recently.

Rory McIlroy believes result doesn’t matter for a “good weekend”

While McIlroy strives to win, he made a contrasting remark at the press conference. “I was joking to Harry out there today, it’s like almost you get two free rounds at this because you can go out and just completely wing it, either shoot 63 or 80, and you know you’re going to have a good weekend,” he claimed.

“Regardless, either have a chance to win the tournament or you go and enjoy everything that this tournament has to offer if you don’t make the cut,” the World No. 1 further added.

McIlroy’s 2-over par puts him in a densely-crowded position. He is tied for 82nd place in the table alongside a host of other players. He remains merely five shots behind the top 10, but a change in fortune is crucial for a chance to get ahead of the cut.

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