How He Hit That: Rory McIlroy's shallow water rescue

Some scratchy play was to be expected from tournament-rusty Rory McIlroy, but he probably didn't expect to find himself playing a half-submerged ball from a water hazard Thursday.

McIlroy sailed a long approach shot on the 589-yard par-5 fifth left of the green into a beachy bit of sand surrounding a pond. Half the ball was sticking up from the water, so McIlroy rolled up his pant leg and blasted a shot out to 12 feet. He rolled in his par putt to stay even par on the day.