Rory McIlroy in Hot Water with Masters fans After Post-Round Decision

From the moment Rory McIlroy stepped onto the green of Augusta National, all eyes were on him. And why not? Every Rory fan is expecting him to grab the coveted green jacket this year, especially after he had snagged two titles before his Masters showdown.

But many hopes were dashed as he continued to complicate his game at the Georgia course Thursday. The Northern Irishman had a decent start, moving through the turn at 3-under, his best first nine in an opening round since 2011.

However, his fortunes took a turn for the worse as he approached the par-5 15th hole, better known as Firethorn. McIlroy struggled, chipping his third onto the 15th green past the hole and finding the creek, which led to a devastating double bogey.

Frustrations mounted further as he overshot the 17th green, ending up with another double that undid his day's gains. But that wasn't the end of his troubles.

Things got worse as the Northern Irishman decided not to speak to the media after his round.

Rory's actions were spotted by journalist Paolo Ugetti, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his observations:

"Was standing right there when Rory hit the chip on 15, which sounded off on contact. The crowd couldn't believe it. After he finished the hole, he kept looking back at the green in frustration."

He added, "He also just skipped media availability and, I believe, went straight to the range."

Although this isn't the first time a PGA Tour professional has done this – Collin Morikawa did the same, sparking controversy in the golf world – fans didn't expect it from the 35-year-old McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy under fire after unexpected behavior at Augusta National

As soon as the news went viral, fans took to X to express their opinions. One social media user commented, "Good reason not to root for him."

Another golf fan compared McIlroy to Tiger Woods, saying, "McIlroy is butthurt about shooting par at the Masters, so he declined media interviews afterwards = something Tiger Woods would never decline to do."

The fan further expressed, "The leprechaun of the PGA Tour is still an emotionally immature pro." Many fans agreed, pointing out that despite constant media scrutiny, Tiger Woods has always made time for the media.

One fan chimed in, "This guy has turned into such a disappointment. It was entertaining watching him hit it into the water." However, not all fans were against the 4x major winner.

A X user debated sharing, "Good for him. These players don't owe us anything after any round!!!! It's great when they do, but they don't owe us anything!"

What do you think? Was Rory McIlroy right in his decision? Let us know in the comments section below.

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