In an unforgettable display at The Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy gave his home crowd plenty of reasons to cheer—and scratch their heads—during a wild third round.

As McIlroy approached the 12th hole, he found himself in a peculiar situation after a wayward drive. After taking a deep breath, he struck his short iron from 151 yards, aiming for yet another birdie. Just as he looked up, he was shocked to see his ball drifting through the wind, destined to fall short of the green.

But the drama didn’t end there! Suddenly, an extra golf ball surfaced from the turf behind him, leaving McIlroy—alongside his caddie Harry Diamond and the spectators—perplexed. After inspecting the rogue ball, he tossed it aside in annoyance, possibly believing it had sabotaged his shot.

"It’s never happened to me before," McIlroy admitted. "This kind of mishap could only occur on a links course where the rough is matted down. It was a bizarre moment."

Although McIlroy faced a bogey on the hole, the 55-foot eagle he sank on the next hole reignited his momentum and sent the crowd into a frenzy. It was a spine-tingling moment that he described as one of his career highlights, saying, "It’s one of the largest roars I’ve ever heard on a golf course!"

With a late birdie on the 15th hole, McIlroy finished the day with an impressive 5-under 66, catapulting him from a tie for 12th to a commendable tie for fourth, just a day away from the final showdown.

His fellow competitor, Jordan Smith, remarked, "The energy was electric for four and a half hours. Rory played incredibly well, and we all hope he can keep it up!"

As he heads into the final round, McIlroy is staring down a six-shot deficit against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. However, with prior victories against Scheffler in similar tight spots, McIlroy remains hopeful.

"He’s so solid and rarely makes mistakes," McIlroy noted about Scheffler. "Chasing a player like that is tough, but he’s incredibly impressive."