The Northern Ireland native picked up a ball from the thick rough, held it out in front of him and burst out laughing. While hitting a shot, he unearthed another ball.

The world No. 1 leads the British Open by four shots and the SI Golf team debates whether the world No. 2 is the man to possibly run him down.

Rory McIlroy stared at his card behind the 18th green and smiled the smile of a golfer who knew he’d had a day to remember at the British Open.