On the 12th hole, McIlroy's eight-iron clubhead went flying off mid-swing, but the former world number one still ended up putting the ball within 10 feet of the pin on his way to a birdie.

"It hit the pin on the way in so we heard the ball go in as well, and then about 30 seconds later I took my shot and it disappeared, so I walked down to the green thinking I’ve missed and put it in the bunker."

During President Obama’s first White House run, he decided to stop wearing a flag pin on his lapel as a gentle protest against the Iraq invasion.

Another shot back was Yuka Saso, who saved shots with her putter and one sublime flop shot over a bunker to a tight pin on the par-3 17th.

Equally impressive was her tee shot to a scary front left pin on the notorious par-3 12th hole to 3 feet for birdie.