Rory McIlroy’s ball lands in woman’s lap at World Tour Championship

Witnessing Rory McIlroy’s tee shot on the par-3 13th hole at the World Tour Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was the epitome of an unexpected moment.

The ball somehow found its way into the lap of a female spectator positioned to the right of the green, much to the amusement of onlookers.

As the gallery chuckled, McIlroy approached the woman, put on a show with a feigned shot and then called for a referee, adding to the light-hearted atmosphere.

The match referee intervened and instructed McIlroy on where to take a drop, eliciting more laughter from the crowd.

After the woman handed him the ball and returned to the gallery with cheers, McIlroy chipped onto the green and eventually concluded the hole with a bogey.

With an already secure top spot in the DP World Tour rankings, McIlroy finished the first round with 1-under 71, trailing co-leaders Nicolai Hojgaard, Matthieu Pavon, and Julien Guerrier by 4 strokes.

Report from The Associated Press.