Watch: ‘F*** off’ — Rory McIlroy frustrated as PGA suspended due to severe thunderstorms

NOT HAPPY: Rory McIlroy was frustrated to hear the weather warning on Saturday. Pic: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

Rory McIlroy took a leaf out of Shane Lowry’s book of Quail Hollow expletives as the 2025 PGA Championship continued to frustrate its Irish visitors on Saturday.

McIlroy was due to be the second pairing out on moving day in Charlotte after just making the cut in dramatic fashion on Friday night.

However a severe thunderstorm watch in the area had tournament organisers on edge from early in the morning.

The first klaxon to suspend play sounded around 8am local time before a ball had even been hit with McIlroy’s pre-round practice session interrupted.

He was soon able to resume and was then on the walkway from the range to the first tee when a second siren pierced the morning air.

McIlroy’s shoulders slumped and he turned around to caddie Harry Diamond to mouth his annoyance, saying ‘F*** off!’

The previous day Lowry had been involved in a moment of pointed frustration when a drive on the eighth found a plugged pitchmark and he was denied relief.

“F*** this place!” Lowry fumed as fairway microphones picked up his outburst.

Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Seamus Power all missed the midway cut at the year’s second Major with McIlroy and debutant Tom McKibbin the only Irish hopes still alive.

Soon after McIlroy and Saturday partner Xander Schauffele made their way back to the clubhouse, loud claps of thunder were heard all around Quail Hollow and the heavens opened with downpours which are unlikely to help with muddy lies on moving day.

When he does get going, McIlroy will look to find momentum and move up from +1, nine shots off surprise leader Jhonattan Vegas.

Soon after McIlroy and Saturday partner Xander Schauffele made their way back to the clubhouse, loud claps of thunder were heard all around Quail Hollow and the heavens opened with downpours which are unlikely to help with muddy lies on moving day.

Tournament officials later confirmed that the weather issues would lead to significant changes to the Saturday schedule. Play will now not resume until 11.43am local time, 4.43pm Irish time, and the pairings will become three-balls starting on both the front and back nine.

"Due to dangerous weather in the area, Round 3 starting times will be a split tee off of #1 & #10 tees in groups of 3 from 11:43 AM - 1:55 PM," a PGA statement said.

When he does get going, McIlroy will look to find momentum and move up from +1, nine shots off surprise leader Jhonattan Vegas with bigger names looming up the midway leaderboard in North Carolina. Major winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau were all within striking distance with Ryder Cup stars Max Homa and Robert MacIntyre also in contention.

Getting his new driver feeling a bit better in the hands would help McIlroy. Across the opening two rounds at a course where driving it long and true is essential to victory, the Holywood man had got the distance but glaringly zero control. He ranked dead last in the entire 154-man field in driving accuracy.