Frustrated Rory McIlroy breaks 3-wood after wayward shot

— -- TROON, Scotland -- Frustration got the best of Rory McIlroy on Saturday afternoon at Royal Troon when he threw his 3-wood from over his head onto the ground, causing the head to snap off the shaft.

McIlroy had just hit a wayward shot on the par-5 16th hole of The Open when he slammed the club in anger, using a tomahawk motion that saw the club hit the ground in front of him and break.

"The club head came loose on it earlier on the week," McIlroy said. "I had to get the head re-glued. So it was probably partly to do with that and partly the throw as well. I'll get it reshafted tonight. The truck's here, so I'll have it reshafted, and all will be well in the morning.''

McIlroy went on to par the hole but was having a frustrating day, having missed several short putts. He said a frustrating week was partly to blame after shooting 73. He is at even par through 54 holes.

"I think I've been saying all week that you need to get off to a good start on this golf course, and you need to be under par early, and I wasn't able to do that,'' McIlroy said.

A four-time major champion who won The Open two years ago at Royal Liverpool, McIlroy opened the tournament with rounds of 69 and 71. He was 11 shots behind the leaders Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson at the time he broke the club.

As for the 16th hole, he said: "I think it was just I let one go right on the previous hole, the 3-iron, and I did the exact same thing there. So it was basically just a bad swing. No one likes to make the same mistake twice, and that's basically what happened.''