Rory McIlroy carded rounds of 70, 66, 71, and 70 to finish tied for 12th at 3-under 277 in the BMW Championship, showing steady form despite missing the FedEx St. Jude Championship the week prior. That absence created a break in momentum, but his return at Olympia Fields reminded fans of his consistency. Now the focus shifts to East Lake, where Round 1 of the Tour Championship begins, and Rory has already made headlines.

Rory McIlroy opened the Tour Championship with a 4-under 66 at East Lake, fueled by a hot front-nine 32. Despite a stumble with bogeys late, he bounced back with a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th, finishing strong and setting the tone for a serious FedExCup push.

That birdie on 18 wasn’t just big for Rory—it had the entire field watching. Even Scottie Scheffler admitted that the moment felt tense. Scottie mentioned, “I have never rooted so hard for somebody’s ball to come back, outside of my partner in a team event. Because we’re walking to 18 and Bones told us they were going to blow at any second, so I’m watching his ball fly towards the grandstand. I’m like, oh, my gosh, we’ve got no way of finishing this thing, so I was relieved when I saw it come back on the green.”

Scheffler’s words carried relief, but his body language told the rest of the story; breaking into laughter, almost in disbelief at what he had just witnessed. It wasn’t just a birdie, it was a perfect mix of luck, timing, and Rory magic under stormy skies.

Rory McIlroy couldn’t help but acknowledge the role of fortune in his dramatic finish. Reflecting on the birdie at 18, Rory told the media, “Yeah, pretty lucky in the end. I think as well, if it hadn’t come down and we had to drop, we mightn’t have got finished, so lucky in a lot of different ways, lucky for the score and lucky we got done. I feel like I played well enough to shoot 4-under if not better, so it was a nice and lucky way to finish.” His words underscored both his steady play and the timely break that allowed him to close with momentum.

When asked about his immediate reaction, Rory laughed at how the shot felt off the clubface. “Oh, no, pretty much. Got a little thin, came out a little faster than obviously I wanted it to, but at that point you’re just hoping that something is going to happen — all the TIO lovers are going to love that one on Twitter tonight.” It was a candid reminder of the thin margins at East Lake—where even one swing can swing from disaster to brilliance, and in Rory’s case, deliver the kind of finish that keeps him firmly in the hunt.

Fans split over Rory’s ‘lucky bounce’

Fans immediately drew parallels to the comedy classic Happy Gilmore, comparing Rory’s wild bounce and improbable result to slapstick golf moments that only seem to happen in the movie. “Loved this shot, it was a Happy Gilmore kinda shot” or “Happy Gilmore did this yesterday.”

From there, the tone shifted toward sarcasm. “This was 100% intentional. You can see it on Scottie’s face. If it were us, that ball is in the clubhouse and OB.” Viewers joked that only a pro like Rory could “plan” such a break, while amateurs would have been re-teeing from out of bounds. Others leaned into humor even further, dropping quick quips like “Oops… ya, I meant to do that…” to capture the absurdity of the moment.

But not everyone was laughing. Betting fans voiced their frustration, with comments such as “Not what you need when you’ve backed Scheffler for the hole,” noting how Rory’s lucky break directly impacted hole-by-hole wagers and Scheffler matchups, adding another layer of tension for those watching closely.

And then came the more pointed criticism. “Why wasn’t he penalized for not playing in the 1st event? Should have been at the #50 position in the BMW. Really he should have been DQ altogether. He laughed in your face, the fans and the sponsors. PGA is a joke. So much is broken.” Beyond the humor, Rory’s bounce reignited debates over playoff eligibility and fairness in the FedExCup, with some arguing the system favors star players at the expense of transparency and balance.