PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.— Rory Mcilroy left before his round was even over.
McIlroy, who missed the cut in Abu Dhabi and lost in the first round of the Match Play Championship in his previous two starts, made a double bogey on his second hole and put two balls in the water on the 16th hole on his way to a triple bogey.
He hit his approach to the 18th in the water and never finished the hole.
He shook hands with Ernie Ells and Mark Wilson and was on his way, but not before conflicting messages.
McIlroy told three reporters who followed him to his car that it was nothing physical but that he was "not in a good place mentally."
In the parking lot, McIlroy was asked three times if anything was wrong physically and he said no. Golfweek magazine reported he was near tears.
"There's not really much I can say, guys," McIlroy said. "I'm not in a good place mentally, you know?"
An hour later, he released a statement through his management company that he couldn't concentrate because of a sore wisdom tooth.
A sore wisdom tooth? McIlroy was seen eating a sandwich on the 18th fairway before hitting his next shot into the water.
McIlroy, whose manners have been as impeccable as his swing since turning pro, faced criticism for his behavior for the first time in his career.
And though he couldn't wait to get off the course, this much probably didn't cross his mind. By quitting in the middle of a round, he is ineligible for the Vardon Trophy he won last year for having the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.
This will only increase rumors that McIlroy is dissatisfied with his golf equipment. He switched from Titleist to Nike at the beginning of the year.