Tournaments like the Genesis Scottish Open are miscellaneous in nature. Both amateur and professional players get an opportunity to showcase their skills. Amidst this, to get a chance to flaunt one’s talent to a professional star, even before the event commences, is definitely a golden occurrence.

The 19-year-old amateur golfer found himself in a similar situation as Rory McIlroy. As a matter of fact, the added bonus was how awe-struck the 4-time major winner was after the young golfer’s shot. This incident was so extraordinary that it even took the golf audience by surprise. They couldn’t help but flock to the comments to provide their input.

Rory McIlroy shows wonderment as he gets surpassed by a young golfer

As it happened, the golfers were out on the greens at the Renaissance for practice rounds before the Scottish Open officially kicked off. The youngster, Ruben Lindsay, spotted Rory McIlroy, who was probably about to leave the greens. Lindsay couldn’t forego this chance to challenge the golf icon for a long-drive challenge. In fact, he believed it was his last shot this year!

Surprisingly, it was not his desire to see the Northern Irishman deliver the stroke that was astonishing. Rather, his confidence in the notion that he could beat the PGA Tour Pro at the challenge was staggering. And he did prove to be right!

When the 19-year-old asked McIlroy for the face-off and the latter agreed to a long drive, he struck the ball at 195 mph. The ball landed 374 yards away, which was stunning even for McIlroy, who is known for exceeding the driving distances of his counterparts.

The PGA Tour star couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow!” when he saw the numbers on Lindsay’s drive. Not only this, McIlroy added that he would be glad even if his ball fell 30 yards within Lindsay’s accomplishment. Well! The 2014 PGA Championship winner did manage to achieve that but still couldn’t surpass the distance Lindsay’s ball had covered.

The Irishman struck the ball beautifully, sending it 352 yards away with a speed of 188 mph. Even though it didn’t beat the youngster’s stats, McIlroy seemed happy with his “smoked” shot. After pulling through his awe for the amateur golfer’s speed, the 23-time PGA Tour winner, referring to his spectacular speed of 187 mph (miles per hour) at the 2022 CJ Cup, said, Alright, well, at least I know I have got it close to 190 (ball speed). So that is alright.”

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His statement drew a laugh from the spectators who were watching the mini-competition. And when the video of the incident soon after went viral online, it drew both laughs and praise from the off course fans, too!

Fans go berserk as Lindsay outperforms McIlroy for a long drive

The rising Scottish star seemed confident in his abilities and delivered accordingly. Even a couple of commenters seemed dumbstruck by how Rory McIlroy reacted to Lindsay’s shot. They believed that it “takes a lot to impress” the golfer, who himself holds many titles and is considered a golf icon by many.

Fans also couldn’t help but admire the young golfer for the potential he holds and believe he could deliver more. They said:

While praise for the Scottish amateur golfer came pouring in, McIlroy’s fans couldn’t hold back from appreciating their favorite golfer. They believed, regardless of the outcome, that the Northern Irishman was impressive.

One fan, in particular, applauded the World No. 3 and his humble attitude. The user tweeted:

As all of this was going on, a couple of fans appeared to be more focused on what McIlroy had said than the drive itself. They opined that the golf icon could not have said “wow.”

Ultimately, as the golfers compete for the next four days in Scotland, they will look forward to executing their shots in a way that converts into a victory.

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