Muted week in Charlotte a strange next act for McIlroy

The Masters champion seemed off form on and off the course. 

LOW-KEY: Rory McIlroy follows his shot from the 12th tee. Pic: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

As Rory McIlroy and Harry Diamond exited stage right, the background character made his stealthy move. Well, sort of stealthy. Apart from the live global TV broadcast which was tracked him.

The Quail Hollow volunteer watched player and caddy leave the 14th green and quickly scurried down the embankment on his knees towards the lake behind. He reached almost an entire arm’s length into the water, so far that the peak of his cap was dipping in too, and retrieved McIlroy’s ball. The cameras caught him slipping it into the left pocket of his shorts.