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Rory McIlroy's wayward shot left this fan needing an emergency cactus removal

Mind the cactus!

WATCHING GOLF IN the desert isnโ€™t without its hazards, as one fan was pointedly reminded while following Rory McIlroy yesterday.

McIlroyโ€™s wayward rescue shot sent the gallery scrambling for cover during his WGC-Accenture Match Play opener against Boo Weekley.

His ball was in an awful lie propped up against a stone but as soon as McIlroy hit it, he knew something was wrong.

rory

He quickly forfeited the hole and went on to win the next, sealing a 3&2 win, but it wasnโ€™t so simple for the poor fan sent flying into a jumping cholla cactus in a bid to avoid serious injury.

Those things can be nasty.

cactus

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McIlroy and McDowell off to winning starts in WGC Accenture Match Play Championship

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3 Comments
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    Mute 43 major trophies
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:20 PM

    Defo one of the true gentlemen left in the game he is a class act on and off field

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    Mute mark kenny
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:21 PM

    @43 major trophies:
    Yes.Fantastic gesture.One of the good guys.

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    Mute Jamie
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:03 PM

    Nice to see a footballer that still has his feet on the ground well done

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Aug 5th 2017, 1:23 AM

    @mark kenny: Agreed that itโ€™s a nice gesture but footballers on massive wages should be in a position to give more. Even a guy on โ‚ฌ500 per week, whatever his profession, could easily afford to donate โ‚ฌ5 to charity. The per centage of wages donated should be left for each individual player to decide. Iโ€™m sure 1% of Neymarโ€™s wages would be a tidy sum.

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    Mute Acedeuce
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:25 PM

    Defiantly a nice gesture.. But it wonโ€™t changing the world thatโ€™s for sure.. But the message will surely resonate. If only every professional footballler done this every year or every so often.. Doubt theyโ€™ll miss or need that 1% of their wages.

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    Mute Jamie
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:59 PM

    @Acedeuce: 1% of 1million is 10Gs and Iโ€™d imagine heโ€™s on a hell of a lot more than that year.Imagine how far that would go in places like Mumbai

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    Mute Acedeuce
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:16 PM

    @Jamie: youโ€™d definitely go far with that money in India.. Anyone with a decent wage in Ireland would get on well India as long as you donโ€™t mind watching very rich people mix and completely ignore child poverty, rape, child trafficking, disease and plenty more.. But other than that youโ€™d live like a king

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    Mute Jamie
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:24 PM

    @Acedeuce: what are you on about?who said anything about living there?i just pointed out that the 1% he donates would change a lot of peopleโ€™s worlds who live in poor countries.Stop being a grump

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:30 PM

    @Acedeuce: maybe thats what he means? To provoke every top earner to do the same?
    And i do think that most alreay donate quite a lot.

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    Mute Acedeuce
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:31 PM

    @Jamie: you said how far 10gs would go in India.. You didnโ€™t say how far 10g would go for people in dire poverty .. But yeah it would do plenty. But Iโ€™d have to hand the money over to personally, nobody in there right mind would trust the Indian government.. Theyโ€™re able to spend billions on space programmes and send stuff into space but yet canโ€™t feed their own people..

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    Mute Jamie
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:36 PM

    @Acedeuce: did you even read the article as to why I referenced Mumbai as an example?

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    Mute ClydaMan
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:25 PM

    One of the few good guys left in a sick environment after the way the game has gone

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    Mute Karlavaro
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:59 PM

    @ClydaMan: have a pint and cheer up ffs

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    Mute ryan o sullivan
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:48 PM

    What a nice guy , if every footballer did this Iโ€™d have more respect for them. 1% is nothing to these lads but what a great gesture fair play to him, hopefully more follow

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    Mute Mick Power
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:35 PM

    Even when he scores a screamer against your club heโ€™s the kind of player you couldnโ€™t dislike. Fair play to him.

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    Mute Fionn Falcao
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    Aug 4th 2017, 4:33 PM

    Havenโ€™t non-profit organisation FIFA got over a BILLION dollars on deposit in Switzerland? Surely they can take care of grass roots football. Fair play to Mata, but why not help world poverty in a more general senseโ€ฆ

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    Mute Malachy Rivers
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:22 PM

    @Fionn Falcao: they are a registered charity believe it or not, one that makes money from getting countries to bid to host a world cup then also get the winning country to pay for brand new stadiums for said world cup while whipping up the majority of the profit!!

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:24 PM

    @Fionn Falcao: FIFA have given millions to streetfootballworld, the NGO running this charity.

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    Mute Fionn Falcao
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    Aug 4th 2017, 6:01 PM

    @John Buckley: I should hope so John. Considering they have over USD$1,000,000,000 held in reserve

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Aug 5th 2017, 8:22 AM

    @Fionn Falcao: so you agree. They have done good? Whatโ€™s with your one sided post earlier so?

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    Mute The Jacket
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:28 PM

    Class act senor mata. Love it.

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    Mute Kris Hetherington
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:34 PM

    You wonโ€™t change the world but you will change alot of lives. Fair play

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    Mute Adrian Costigan
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    Aug 4th 2017, 6:00 PM

    Nice one Juan

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    Mute ManUtdMan
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    Aug 4th 2017, 6:00 PM

    The guy is pure class

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    Mute Aidan Butler
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    Aug 5th 2017, 3:52 AM

    Should call it the โ€œJuan percentโ€ scheme

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    Mute Matt Taylor
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    Aug 4th 2017, 5:40 PM

    You wouldnโ€™t see Sturridge make a statement like this. Class from Mata.

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    Mute Adrian Costigan
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    Aug 4th 2017, 6:02 PM

    @Matt Taylor: why single one player out?

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    Mute Conor O'Neill
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    Aug 4th 2017, 7:58 PM

    @Matt Taylor: Sturridge has set up a charity in his own name. Most footballers are generous enough but like above very unfair to single out individuals

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Aug 5th 2017, 8:24 AM

    @Matt Taylor: ahh sorry. You had another post in a different article where i thought you were making a point, scrolling down to this article it just seems youโ€™re a knob

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    Mute Ruairi O'Bric
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    Aug 4th 2017, 9:36 PM

    Sure 1% is nothing. Iโ€™m giving nearly 60% of everything i earn to a group with severe learning difficulties who canโ€™t tell left from right not to mind wrong from right and are really just an advertisement for repealing the 8th.

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Aug 5th 2017, 8:25 AM

    @Ruairi Oโ€™Bric: that was probably funnier in your head

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    Mute Kronikilla'
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    Aug 4th 2017, 9:42 PM

    Team rivalries aside.. as football fans i think we can all agree that Mataโ€™s a proper lad

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    Mute The Jacket
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    Aug 4th 2017, 6:59 PM

    I think the two line dancers could take a close look at how a real pro does it.

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    Mute Michael Ahern
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    Aug 4th 2017, 8:48 PM

    Could change it ten times over if he gave 10%! However. Still generous compared to many of us.

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    Mute Brian
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    Aug 4th 2017, 9:06 PM

    @Michael Ahern: There it is. Took a while.

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    Mute An Observer
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    Aug 4th 2017, 9:12 PM

    @Michael Ahern: And he could change even more lives if he donated 50% of his wages Michael. You just couldnโ€™t leave it at that could you,had to get the dig in.

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    Mute Brian
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    Aug 4th 2017, 9:29 PM

    @An Observer: I was going to write a big long paragraph on why heโ€™s being an idiot but thatโ€™s fairly obvious why. Itโ€™s all relative Michael so are you donating 1%.. or 10%?

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    Mute Andrew Keane
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    Aug 5th 2017, 3:17 AM

    @Michael Ahern: yeah he earns a lot and 1% is nothing in the grand scheme of things. What is something is that he also gives to other charities in a more meaningful way. He also has a family immediate and maybe extended that he provides for, plus a footballer was protect themselves financially for their future after football. How many players just disappear into obscurity after there career ends?

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