Rory McIlroy's Australian Open tilt hindered by discarded banana skin
Rory McIlroy faced an unusual obstacle during his third round at the Australian Open.
In short:
Rory McIlroy was forced to hit a shot from beneath a banana skin on the second hole.
McIlroy ended up posting a double bogey.
He recovered to finish his third round at three-under-par 68.
Inclement weather was not the only challenge Rory McIlroy faced on his way to shooting a three-under-par 68 in the third round of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.
After rain began falling an hour before his 9.39am AEDT tee time, McIlroy struck trouble in bizarre circumstances.
The world number two posted a double bogey on the par-four second hole after his ball incredibly landed underneath a discarded banana skin draped over a tuft of grass situated in the rough.
McIlroy could not shift the unusual impediment out of fear that the ball might move, which would have resulted in a one-stroke penalty.
The five-time major winner made little progress with his shot, which landed about 10 metres away.
McIlroy eventually dropped two strokes, although he grabbed one back immediately with a birdie on the third hole.
"I shouldn't have been there in the first place, but it wasn't the best to start," McIlroy said after his round.
He added: "The banana, it's a loose impediment and it was rested on the ball. So, if I moved the banana peel the ball would've moved. So, I just didn't even try."
A bogey on the par-three seventh hole provided another setback for the Northern Irishman, but a second birdie on the ninth meant he reached the turn at one-over for the day.
The 2013 Australian Open champion had given his army of fans reasons to cheer by fighting back from the brink of missing the cut late in his second round.
He came close to raising their spirits again on the par-four 11th on Saturday, only for his birdie-putt to stop just centimetres from the hole.
Rory McIlroy endured some frustrating moments but still posted a three-under 68. (AAP: James Ross)
But his range was on target not long after when he sank a putt from just off the 12th green to claim his second birdie and return to his overnight score of two-under.
Another birdie on the 14th hole lifted McIlroy to three-under, before he went off course on the 17th in a similar fashion to the second round.
Although the 36-year-old did not reach the green this time, his effort — following an off-target tee shot — got close enough to set up a comfortable birdie-putt, which he converted.
A fourth birdie in his back nine on the 18th saw McIlroy move to five-under after 54 holes.
McIlroy is the Australian Open's major drawcard, having triggered massive interest in this year's tournament.
Single-day passes sold out for Saturday and Sunday well in advance, while more than 40,000 spectators attended Royal Melbourne across the opening two days.
McIlroy produced a one-over 72 in the first round, before shooting a three-under 68 to survive the cut on Friday.