Rory McIlroy & Harris English, Both In Top 5 Of US Open, Have Literally Swung And Missed This Weekend

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Professional golfers are very good at golf. This is not breaking news. Guys who regularly compete to win tournaments are extremely good at golf. This is also not breaking news. But Rory McIlroy and Harris English both did something during the US Open that I can't say I have ever seen from a pro.

As mentioned, professional golfers are very good players who hit incredible golf shots. But they're not immune from hitting bad shots. It's rare, but you'll occasionally see a pro chunk an iron, or blade a wedge or badly hook a tee shot.

Yet, what happened to McIlroy on Thursday and then to English on Saturday is rarefied air for the professionals.

They swung and completely missed the golf ball.

Rory McIlroy reacts missing the ball on the 18th hole during the first round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club.

Rory McIlroy reacts missing the ball on the 18th hole during the first round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

During round one, McIlroy found himself in some greenside rough on the 18th hole, his final of the day. At the time, he was playing brilliant golf. Sitting at six-under, just two shots behind the leaders, McIlroy needed to get up-and-down to shoot a 64.

But then the inexplicable occurred.

Wowzers.

Again, I've seen professional golfers hit some bad shots. We all have. But I can't say I had ever seen one swing and miss. And especially a player like Rory McIlroy, one of the best in the world in the midst of an incredible round of golf.

But he wasn't alone.

From nearly the exact same spot during Saturday's third round, Harris English had an almost identical whiff.

Unfortunately, I literally could not find video anywhere on the Internet. But this photo tells you what happened.

Harris English reacts to missing the ball on the 18th hole during the third round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club.

Harris English reacts to missing the ball on the 18th hole during the third round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Good for Harris English that the Internet seems to not care enough to post his embarrassing moment. Not so much for Rory McIlroy.

Or Xander Schauffele, for that matter. Another elite golfer in contention at the US Open, Schauffele pulled off something that probably anyone reading this article has also encountered: needing three shots to get out of the same bunker.

Not quite as embarrassing as missing, but more penalizing. The swing-and-a-miss costs one shot. Hitting three shots out of the same bunker costs you two extra shots.

Yes, Schauffele somehow managed to make a bogey and keep his head above water.

But it's fascinating that Rory McIlroy, Harris English and Xander Schauffele -- all currently in the Top 6 at the US Open Championship -- had disaster moments over the past three days, yet all have a chance to win on Sunday.

Golf is hard.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.